An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale struck 91 km away from Noda, Japan, on Wednesday. The epicenter of the earthquake is located at 40.112° north latitude, 142.889° east longitude.
The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck at a depth of 19 km at 17:26 local time (1426 GMT). No casualties have been reported yet. Authorities have also not issued any tsunami warnings.
Japan, which is prone to frequent earthquakes, was also hit by another magnitude 7.5 earthquake earlier this month. This was followed by another 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit northeastern Japan on December 8.
This is not the only earthquake reported from around the world as the New Year is celebrated. An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 on the Richter scale hit Susanville, California in the US on Tuesday (local time), Reuters reported, citing the USGS. The earthquake was at a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 mi).
A 3.4-magnitude earthquake also hit Tibet earlier in the day on New Year’s Eve, according to India’s National Center for Seismology.
Why is Japan so prone to earthquakes?
Japan, which has experienced extensive devastation from seismic activity throughout recorded history, is so prone to earthquakes due to its location on the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a zone where four tectonic plates, namely the Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian and North American, come into constant contact with each other.
Their convergence, grinding and sliding beneath each other releases seismic energy that leads to earthquakes and also tsunamis in the region.
Japan, home to about 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 small to large earthquakes each year.
Although most earthquakes are mild, their impact depends on how deep below the earth’s surface they strike or how close to the country’s coast.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more updates.
