7 October (WNN) — More than 20 people were injured in a 5.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Tokyo on Thursday.
The epicenter of the quake occurred at 10:41 p.m. local time, at a depth of 50 miles in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo.
The Japan Times reported that areas of the capital city recorded a seismic intensity of 5 on a Japanese scale from 0-7, the strongest earthquake to have occurred in the region, after a magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeast Japan in March 2011. .
The quake disrupted traffic and trapped commuters in Tokyo and surrounding areas, where 20 commuter lines went offline. Since then the service has been restored.
Officials did not issue a tsunami warning, but warned of a 10% to 20% chance that an earthquake of similar intensity could occur within weeks.
According to a report by Kyodo News, a female train passenger was among the injured, who collapsed when the train suddenly stopped and suffered a head injury.
Reported damage included pipe bursts, water supply interruptions, a house fire, a partially derailed train, and a temporary blackout affecting about 250 homes in Tokyo.
A government task force was set up to respond.
Officials reported no problems with nuclear facilities in the area. Airports and highways were inspected and reopened, and a fire at an oil refinery in Sodegaura was quickly extinguished.
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