Tokyo. Shimane Prefecture, located in the western part of Japan, was shaken by a massive earthquake early Tuesday. The intensity of this earthquake was measured at 6.3 on the Richter scale. The tremors were so strong that panic spread among the local residents and people hurriedly came out of their homes and buildings for their safety. It is a matter of relief that despite such high intensity, no loss of life or property has been reported so far nor has any tsunami warning been issued by the administration.
According to the Meteorological Department, the earthquake occurred at 10:18 am local time. Its center was located at a depth of about 10 kilometers from the ground. Just 10 minutes after this main shock, i.e. at 10:28 am, another moderate intensity tremor was felt in the area, whose magnitude was recorded at 5.1. The greatest impact of these tremors was seen in Matsue, the capital of Shimane Prefecture, and various cities of neighboring Tottori Prefecture. The local administration and the Nuclear Regulation Authority immediately took stock of the situation. Officials have confirmed that no abnormalities or malfunctions have been detected at the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant and other associated units located in the area. The plant is completely safe and operations are running normally. This natural disaster is the second major incident within a month for Japan. Earlier, due to a powerful earthquake in the north-eastern part of the country, about 90,000 people had to leave their homes and take shelter in safe places. Even after the current incident, rescue teams and disaster management units are on alert to deal with any emergency. Geographically, Japan is located on the Ring of Fire region of the Pacific Ocean. This region is considered to be one of the most active seismic belts in the world, due to which there is frequent movement of tectonic plates here. This is the reason why in Japan, special emphasis is laid on anti-earthquake technology and pre-disaster preparedness, so that despite great dangers, the loss of life and property is minimized.
