New earthquake confirms warning forecast of Japan Meteorological Agency
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake with the epicenter near Sado Island, which lies off the coast of Japan's Niigata Prefecture, occurred at 5:59 pm on Tuesday. An intensity of 5 lower on the Japanese seismic scale of zero to seven was observed in Nagaoka, a city in Niigata.
There may be some changes to the tide levels due to this earthquake but there is no threat of tsunami damage, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The JMA has warned of the possibility of earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 5 upper or higher continuing to strike Japan over the next month after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year's Day.
The JMA seismic intensity scale has 10 levels going from zero to seven. Levels 5 and 6 are divided into "lower" and "upper".
The agency said on Monday the frequency of earthquakes is expected to gradually decrease. The likelihood of earthquakes of the same magnitude as the 7.6 magnitude earthquake on Jan 1 has relatively decreased, but crustal activity remains active. The agency urged the public to remain vigilant for the next month or so and to take necessary safety precautions.
As of 2:00 pm on Tuesday, a total of 202 confirmed deaths had been reported in Ishikawa. The number of people with injuries, both severe and minor, reached at least 565 throughout the prefecture.
The safety of more than 100 people are yet to be confirmed, according to the prefectural government.
An investigation found that the land area of the Noto Peninsula has expanded by approximately 4.4 square kilometers following the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
In Wajima, a city in Ishikawa Prefecture, the coastline has extended up to 240 meters seaward, according to an investigation into the ground changes conducted by Japanese experts.
