KUMAMOTO CITY, Japan (Reuters) – At least three people died and seven remain in critical condition after two powerful earthquakes hit south Japan late on Thursday night (April 13).
National broadcaster NHK captured the moment the second 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto early on Friday morning, after midnight (April 15).
This was the second earthquake to hit the region in four hours and collapsed already badly damaged buildings.
The initial quake struck 11 km (7 miles) east of the city of Kumamoto, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It initially said the magnitude was 6.2 but revised it down. Japanese public broadcaster NHK said the quake registered 6.4.
There was no tsunami warning, but Japan’s chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said several buildings had collapsed. He gave no more details.
NHK reported that a fire had broken out in Mashiki, a town of around 34,000 people near the epicentre of the quake, and showed footage of firefighters tackling a blaze at a building.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no irregularities at three nuclear plants on the southernmost island of Kyushu and nearby Shikoku.
Some high-speed trains were halted as a precaution.