Tuesday, January 04, 2022

Powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake strikes near islands south of Japan

Chichijima island is seen in the Ogasawara island chain, south of Japan. A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off its coast Tuesday morning. File Photo by Everett Kennedy Brown/EPA

Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Japan on Tuesday, near Chichijima island.

The 6.1-magnitude quake had a seismic intensity of an upper 5 on its 1-7 scale.

The quake was registered in the Ogasawara archipelago, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, located south of Japan in an area administered by the Tokyo metropolitan government.

The Ogasawara islands are about 620 miles south of Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage.

"There was a strong jolt while I was sleeping and I jumped out of bed, but the tremor soon stopped," said Mamoru Kizaki, an official of the Ogasawara village office, according to Japan Today.

Tuesday's was the first earthquake of such magnitude to hit the region since 2015, when a quake with an upper 5 intensity hit Hahajima island.

The earthquake occurred one day after a similar-sized temblor occurred off the coast of Taiwan.

Strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes off coast of Taiwan


Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Taiwan on Monday.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the quake was located about 40 miles east of Hualien City at a depth of about 18 miles.


Despite the quake's strength, the USGS said there was a 65% chance that the tremor caused only minimal economic loss or injuries.

On a scale of 1 to 7 that gauges earthquake intensity in Taiwan, Central Weather Bureau officials said the tremor intensity reached a 4 in Yilan County, Taipei City and New Taipei City.

The intensity level was lower, a 3, in Hualien County, Taichung City, Hsinchu County, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City and Changhua County.

Video posted online by China's state-run Global Times showed the lights in one Taipei office building swinging wildly for more than 30 seconds after the quake.

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