A powerful earthquake that struck central Japan caused panic across several areas, leaving at least 20 people injured and damaging buildings and shops.
A powerful earthquake that struck central Japan caused panic across several areas, leaving at least 20 people injured and damaging buildings and shops. According to a report by a foreign news website, the tremors shattered the windows of several shops and sent items inside buildings crashing to the floor. Train services were also disrupted at various locations, causing travel difficulties for commuters. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake struck the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture at 1:04 a.m. local time on Sunday, November 8, 2026. The epicenter was approximately 40 kilometers below the Earth’s surface, and the earthquake registered a magnitude of 5.7. The strongest tremors were recorded in the city of Chita in Aichi Prefecture, where the shaking exceeded 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale. Several areas of Shizuoka, Nagano and Gifu prefectures also experienced tremors, causing panic among residents. Authorities said most of the injured people lost their balance during the earthquake, slipped on staircases or were hurt in accidents while attempting to move to safer locations. Rescue operations began following the incident, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
