Chiba, Japan. Photo: Shutterstock A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture in Japan on Thursday, October 1, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The earthquake occurred at 15:27 local time, with the epicenter located at 35.8 degrees north latitude and 140.7 degrees east longitude. The Japan Meteorological Agency estimated the depth of the earthquake at around 50 kilometers.
The quake registered a maximum seismic intensity of 3 on Japan's seismic intensity scale, described as followed on the JMA website: "Almost everyone indoors feels the shaking. Dishes on shelves may rattle."
Two additional, smaller earthquakes were recorded in northeastern Chiba later in the afternoon. A magnitude 3.6 earthquake occurred at 15:31, followed by a magnitude 3.3 event at 15:51. Both registered a maximum seismic intensity of 1.
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake was the strongest of the three events listed by the JMA on Thursday afternoon.
Japan regularly experiences earthquakes because it lies along several active tectonic boundaries. The country's seismic intensity scale measures the strength of shaking experienced at locations, rather than the overall energy released by an earthquake.
The latest JMA information did not indicate major damage or a tsunami warning associated with the earthquake. People in the affected area are advised to follow updates from Japanese authorities, particularly if further tremors occur.
The earthquake struck Chiba, a prefecture east of Tokyo, an area that includes both densely populated communities and coastal regions.