Overview
- The quake in Hokkaido, which struck at 5:24 a.m. Monday JST, rattled the Tokachi area with strong shaking.
- The USGS placed the epicenter about 18 kilometers west of Sarabetsu at a depth near 81 kilometers, a depth that often softens surface damage compared with shallow quakes.
- Japan’s Meteorological Agency measured an upper 5 on its 7-level intensity scale in Tokachi, a level that can make walking hard and crack weak walls.
- No tsunami advisory was issued and there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries, according to early agency and media reports.
- The tremor followed a magnitude 7.7 off Sanriku a week earlier, and authorities asked residents to stay alert for aftershocks and heed local guidance.