Tokyo: A powerful earthquake, measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, rattled western Japan, causing injuries and triggering concerns of potential aftershocks. The seismic event, which struck at approximately 11:14 p.m. local time, reverberated across a wide area, particularly affecting Ehime and Kochi prefectures on Shikoku Island.
Reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake registered a lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, with its epicenter located in the Bungo Channel, between Kyushu and Shikoku islands. Authorities confirmed that at least nine individuals sustained injuries, with six cases in Ehime Prefecture, one in Kochi Prefecture, and two in Oita Prefecture.
In addition to the human toll, the earthquake prompted operational concerns at the Ikata nuclear complex in Ehime Prefecture, where a valve defect led to a two percent reduction in power output from the No.3 reactor. Despite this setback, Shikoku Electric Power reassured the public of overall operational stability.
