Strong earthquake hits central Japan
A strong magnitude 5.9 earthquake on Monday shook the area of central Japan that was hit by a devastating jolt in January, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said, but there was no threat of a tsunami, AFP reports.
Three houses collapsed but there were no reports of deaths or injuries, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said after the shallow quake struck the Noto Peninsula at 6:31 am (2131 GMT Sunday).
Public broadcaster NHK showed footage of at least one home thrown askew with badly damaged walls and the tiled roof of part of the building having crashed to the ground.
No abnormalities were detected at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa or Shika nuclear plants in the region on the Sea of Japan coast, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said.
"The area has been seismically active for more than three years, including the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on January 1 this year. That is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, so please continue to exercise caution," the JMA said.
The agency also warned of landslides and falling rocks in the region, especially after rain or further quakes.
