M5.4 earthquake hits East and North-East Japan

December 31, 2013

M5.4 quake jolts eastern Japan

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131231p2g00m0dm032000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 jolted eastern and northeastern Japan on Tuesday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

No tsunami alert has been issued and there have been no reports of damage following the 10:03 a.m. quake, although part of the Joban Expressway was briefly closed for safety checks.

The focus of the quake was about 10 kilometers underground in northern Ibaraki Prefecture.

The quake measured lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Takahagi, Ibaraki

Prefecture. The jolt was also felt in northeastern Japan, including Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, as well as the Tokyo metropolitan area.

December 31, 2013(Mainichi Japan)