Two Strong Earthquakes, Magnitude 5, Hits Nagano Prefecture

Two strong earthquakes jolted Nagano Prefecture in central Japan on Saturday 18th April, with the first measuring a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 followed by another registering magnitude 5.1, the country's weather agency said. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of aftershocks on a similar scale over the next week or so. No tsunami warnings were issued. The first major quake occurred at 1:20 p.m. in Omachi and registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, according to the agency. At 2:54 p.m., another quake registering lower 5 hit Omachi and nearby areas. Upper 5 is defined by the agency as a level at which many people find it difficult to walk.There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage due to the quake in the landlocked prefecture. Podcast Notes: ‘Strong M5.0, 5.1 quakes hit Nagano Prefecture in central Japan’: https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/74418