6.3 magnitude earthquake hits Ishikawa region, no immediate tsunami warning

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit northern Ishikawa region in central Japan on Friday (May 5th), according to the national meteorological agency. No tsunami warning was issued immediately. The earthquake occurred at 2:42 p.m. (7:42 a.m. Paris time) at a depth of 10 kilometers. Bullet train traffic was halted between Nagano and Kanazawa, a popular tourist spot, according to Japan Railway.

The quake reached level 6 on the Japanese Shindo scale, which goes up to 7, in the city of Suzu, meaning it could lead to major landslides. The American Geophysical Institute US Geological Survey (USGC) estimated its magnitude at 6.2. Earthquakes are common in Japan, which sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an area of ​​high seismic activity.