MIYAZAKI, May 3 (NNN-NHK) – Japan was shaken near Miyazaki, by an earthquake of magnitude 5.3, yesterday afternoon, Japan’s National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) reported.
The quake hit at a shallow depth of 20.1 km beneath the epicentre near Miyazaki, at 4:08 pm local time. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones, as they are closer to the surface.
The exact magnitude, epicentre, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes, as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their reports.
“Our monitoring service identified a second report from the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, which listed the quake at magnitude 5.0. Other agencies reporting the same quake include the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), at magnitude 5.0, and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) at magnitude 5.0.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicentre. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.
In Nichinan (pop. 44,200), located 48 km from the epicentre, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Miyazaki (pop. 311,200), located 57 km from the epicentre, Kushima (pop. 22,100), 60 km away, Takanabe (pop. 22,500), 71 km away, Tsuma (pop. 34,300), 73 km away, Miyakonojō (pop. 131,000), 78 km away, Kobayashi (pop. 39,700), 95 km away, and Kanoya (pop. 82,300), 99 km away.– NNN-NHK
