Japanese media report one man was killed and buildings collapsed after a strong earthquake struck near the country’s west central coast early Friday.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck at 2:42 pm Japan time about 50 kilometers off the coast of Anamizu in Ishikawa province, at a depth of 8.7 kilometers.
A report from Japan’s Meteorological Agency - which monitors earthquakes in the region – differs slightly, saying the epicenter of the quake was on land near Noto in Ishikawa province, and recorded the quake at a 6.3 magnitude with a depth of 10 kilometers.
Japanese media, citing local police, say one man died in the city of Suzu, near the reported epicenter, when he fell off a ladder as the quake struck. The Japan Times, quoting local fire officials, reported three houses collapsed and at least one person was trapped in the wreckage.
At a news conference Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said there was no tsunami warning issued and there were no abnormalities reported at the Shika Nuclear Power Plant near the epicenter or at other nuclear power plants.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported several smaller earthquakes after the initial quake and said other, larger quakes approaching magnitude 6 could be possible in the coming week.
Earthquakes are very common in Japan. In 2011, a massive quake in the country’s northeast caused a devastating tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown.
Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press, Reuters and the French news agency Agence France Presse.