Japan: A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurs off eastern coast of Hokkaido at around 08:33 Jan. 24

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Hokkaido at around 08:33 Jan. 24. The epicenter was about 68 km (42 miles) south-southeast of Akkeshi. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 35 km (21 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in central and eastern Hokkaido. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.