April 18, 2024
TOKYO – Several people suffered minor injuries and sent to hospital after powerful earthquake that was observed in western Shikoku region late night on Wednesday, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi who held a press conference at around 1 a .m. on Thursday.
The quake, whose preliminary magnitude is 6.6, has caused damages to water pipes and power lines in Kochi and Ehime prefectures. Both prefectures held meetings of disaster headquarters to confirm damages.
A quake measured lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Sukumo, Kochi Prefecture. According to the Sukumo city government, as of 0:40 a.m. on Thursday, there were two reports on damages to electric lights and power lines, and nine reports on water leaks.
Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture marked an intensity of 5. According to the Ehime prefectural government, water pipes were damaged, stone walls were collapsed in Uwajima and other areas. There was also a report of falling rocks near a tunnel.
A man who runs a sushi restaurant in central Uwajima said, “I’ve never experienced such a strong tremor, I was surprised when water overflowed from a fish tank.”