A powerful magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early Sunday morning, becoming the strongest to hit the Aichi region in three decades. The tremors were recorded at 1:04 AM local time in the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture at a depth of about 40 kilometers. According to the Japanese agency Kyodo and the Japan Meteorological Agency, more than 20 people were injured as a result of the disaster in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing Japanese media.
Chronology and Parameters of the Tremors
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake's epicenter was located in the western part of the Shizuoka region at a depth of approximately 40 kilometers. The strongest tremors—reaching an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese seismic scale—were recorded in the city of Chita in Aichi Prefecture; a level of lower 5 was noted in certain areas of Aichi, Nagano, and Gifu prefectures. In Kyiv time, the tremors occurred at 6:04 PM on November 7. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the magnitude slightly lower at 5.5, while the Japanese agency reported 5.7. On the same day in the morning, around 10:53 AM, another weaker earthquake of magnitude 4.3 was recorded in Kumamoto Prefecture in the southwest of the country.
Impact on People and Infrastructure
More than 20 people in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures sustained injuries of varying severity; according to Associated Press reports, the number of injured reached at least 22, with most hurt from falls, including down stairs, while trying to seek shelter. Local media reported structural damage in the Yamanashi and Aichi prefectures, as well as in Hamamatsu, Kyoto, and Nara, alongside shattered shop windows. The incident affected some local railway services: the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains temporarily operated with delays and reduced speed between Shizuoka and Gifu-Hashima stations, though service was fully restored by noon. The central government of Japan established a special liaison office to coordinate disaster response efforts.
Situation at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant and Megathrust Earthquake Risk
Special attention during earthquakes in Japan is given to nuclear energy facilities. No anomalies were detected at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, located near the potential megathrust earthquake zone in the Nankai Trough. The Meteorological Agency notes that the probability of this earthquake being linked to a potential megathrust earthquake in the Nankai Trough is low. At the same time, the agency warns that new, potentially strong aftershocks are possible in the country over the coming days, and the risk of mudslides increases amid heavy rains.
Regional Seismic Background
Japan remains a region of high seismic activity. A reminder of this is recent history: on July 28, a destructive 7.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Kumamoto Prefecture. The current event, although weaker, became the strongest in three decades for the Aichi region, which hosts manufacturing facilities of Toyota Motor Corp., among others. Experts emphasize that for a country with such a tectonic environment, such tremors are part of the regular seismic background, requiring constant preparedness of infrastructure and emergency services.
Context: Underground Tremors in Ukraine
Against the backdrop of the Japanese earthquake, it is worth noting that underground tremors are also periodically recorded in various regions of Ukraine. Specifically, on the night of October 30, a 3.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Poltava Oblast, with its epicenter in the Machukhi hromada of Poltava Raion. Earlier, tremors were felt in other parts of the country: residents in Odesa Oblast felt tremors from an earthquake in Romania, and an event occurred in the Tyachiv Raion of Zakarpattia. These episodes remind us that seismic activity is a phenomenon affecting not only the Pacific Ring of Fire but also a number of regions in Europe and Eastern Europe.
