Japan earthquake: 6.1-magnitude temblor strikes Tokyo area

TOKYO (AP) - A powerful magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook the Tokyo area on Thursday night, slightly injuring at least five people and halting trains and subways. Officials said there was no major damage or danger of a tsunami.

The Meteorological Agency said the quake was centered in Chiba prefecture, just east of Tokyo, at a depth of 80 kilometers (48 miles).

It caused buildings to sway and hanging objects such as signs to swing violently. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said there were no abnormalities at nuclear power facilities in the area.

A Japanese national flag flies outside the Bank of Japan (BOJ) headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 27, 2021. (Photographer: Toru Hanai/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Chiba prefectural police said two women in separate locations sprained their ankles when they were thrown to the floor during the quake. NHK public television said a commuter train partially derailed when it made an emergency stop, causing three passengers to fall and get slightly injured.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said about 250 homes in downtown Tokyo temporarily lost power.

"Shinkansen" super express trains in and out of Tokyo were halted for safety checks but later resumed operation, East Japan Railway Co. said. Tokyo's Yamanote loop line and subways also restarted.

Outside of Tokyo's Shinagawa station, where local trains were temporarily halted, there was a long line of people trying to get taxis home.

Many elevators automatically stopped, including those at Tokyo's metropolitan government building, temporarily trapping some people.

Fire and disaster officials said underground water pipes were damaged in dozens of locations in Tokyo. In one district, water was gushing from the ground.

New Prime Minister Fumio Kishida posted a message on Twitter urging people to "check the latest information and take action to protect your lives."

Kishida returned to his office late Thursday to lead the government's response.