Powerful Earthquakes Rock Central Japan’s Nagano Region

Two significant tremors hit Nagano Prefecture on Saturday afternoon. They occurred within two hours of each other.

Powerful earthquakes shook parts of central Japan and affected the Nagano region. Local damage was reported.

Earthquake details

The first quake struck at 1:20 p.m. It registered magnitude 5.0 and reached an intensity of upper 5 locally.

A second tremor occurred at 2:54 p.m. It measured magnitude 5.1 and produced lower 5 shaking in Nagano and Omachi.

Both quakes had focal depths of about 10 kilometers. Omachi experienced upper 5 intensity earlier in the sequence.

Damage and response

The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no tsunami threat from either event. Authorities reported only localized damage so far.

In Omachi, roof tiles were torn off and fell from one house. Walls of some buildings were damaged and several gravestones toppled.

Tokyo Electric Power Company said Unit No.6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa in Niigata Prefecture remains in operation. No abnormalities have been found.

Warnings and hazards

A Japan Meteorological Agency official urged residents to stay alert for the coming week. The agency warned of possible quakes reaching upper 5 intensity.

Officials also cautioned about rainy conditions. They warned that heavy rain combined with strong shaking raises the risk of falling rocks and landslides.

Seismic context and expert analysis

Saturday’s events occurred near the site of a magnitude 6.7 earthquake in 2014. Seismologists note a history of activity in the area.

Professor Nishimura Takuya of Kyoto University’s Disaster Prevention Research Institute said the quakes could be regarded broadly as aftershocks from 2014. He noted that eastern and western plates meet beneath Nagano, making the region prone to strain accumulation.

Nishimura warned that a nearby fault zone could slip in the future and generate larger earthquakes. He urged residents to remain prepared and vigilant.