At least one person died during the earthquake, at least two houses collapsed and a blackout occurred cross a wide area
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 rocked Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido early Thursday the Japan Meteorological Agency said. At least one person has been reported dead following the incident.
The agency said there may be a slight sea-level change in Japan’s coastal areas as a result of the 3.08am quake but that no damage is expected.
The temblor, which occurred in southern Hokkaido at a depth of about 40 kilometres, logged upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in the town of Abira and lower 6 in the city of Chitose, both southeast of Sapporo.
In Tokyo, the central government set up a liaison unit at the crisis management Centre of the prime minister’s office to gather information on the temblor.
