Aftermath of earthquake in central Japan

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 struck central Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture shortly after 1 a.m. local time on Sunday. There was no threat of a tsunami.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese scale of zero to seven was recorded in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture. Aichi borders Shizuoka.

The agency said it was the first time since March 1997 that jolts on that scale were observed in Aichi. The quake also registered an intensity of lower 5 in the prefectures of Aichi, Shizuoka, Gifu and Nagano.

The agency estimated that the epicenter was located in the western part of Shizuoka, and that the focus was at a depth of 41 kilometers. The Meteorological Agency held a news conference after the earthquake.

Ebita Ayataka, an agency official, said that residents in areas hit by strong tremors should pay close attention to future seismic activity and rain conditions, as there is a growing risk of falling rocks and landslides.