- 14 Mar 2002
- 15,970
- 9,208
- 749
A big quake has hit Kumamoto in Kyushu, causing loss of life and significant damage. We didn't feel the first tremour in Kanto, but there was a second one that also shook buildings here.
Deadly earthquake topples houses in southern Japan
Kumamoto Castle walls collapsed
Deadly earthquake topples houses in southern Japan
At least nine people have died and more than 250 are injured after a powerful earthquake hit southern Japan, toppling buildings and cutting power supplies. Officials say more people could be trapped under collapsed buildings.
Thousands fled their homes and many people spent the night in the open in the town of Mashiki, near Kumamoto city on the island of Kyushu. No tsunami warning was issued after the magnitude 6.4 quake struck at 21:26 (12:26 GMT) east of Kumamoto. Nuclear reactors on the island are not reported to have been affected. The two Sendai nuclear reactors on Kyushu were operating as normal while the three Genkai nuclear reactors still in operation were already closed for routine inspection.
The quake struck at a depth of 10km (six miles) and was followed by aftershocks measuring 5.7 about 40 minutes later and 6.4 just after midnight local time. But Japan's seismology office recorded the shaking at some places to be as intense as the huge magnitude nine earthquake that hit the country in 2011.
Kumamoto Castle walls collapsed