Powerful Quakes Strike Western Japan

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)--A series of powerful earthquakes struck western Japan on Tuesday, measuring up to upper 5, the fourth-highest level on the country's seismic intensity scale, in the western prefectures of Tottori and Shimane.

So far, nine people have been reported injured.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a quake with an estimated magnitude of 6.4 occurred at a depth of 11 kilometers in eastern Shimane at 10:18 a.m., registering upper 5 in the Shimane city of Matsue and the Tottori city of Sakaiminato.

Another temblor struck at 10:28 a.m., logging lower 5, the fifth-highest level, in the Shimane city of Yasugi.

A total of three women in their 60s-90s were injured in Sakaiminato, the city of Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture and the city of Okayama in the namesake prefecture.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]