Earthquake shakes western Japan

Kyodo news agency quoted the Japan Meteorological Agency as saying that the earthquake occurred at 11:14 p.m. on April 17 (local time) in Ehime Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture, both located on Shikoku Island in the Pacific Ocean, with a focal depth of 39 km in the strait between Shikoku Island and Kyushu Island.

Speaking to reporters, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said there was no tsunami warning and authorities had not recorded any abnormalities at nuclear power plants.

There have been no reports of fatalities in the quake, but local authorities and Japanese media say at least eight people have suffered minor injuries. According to the Oita prefectural government, two elderly people suffered minor injuries from falls, while the remaining six injuries were all in the Ehime region. Local authorities are continuing to collect information about the damage after the quake. There have been reports of broken windows in buildings and water pipes and downed power cables.

The Japan Meteorological Agency added that this was the first time an earthquake of such magnitude had occurred on Shikoku island since October 1996.