Japan: A magnitude-5.8 offshore earthquake occurs off the west coast of Honshu at around 17:59 Jan. 9

A magnitude-5.8 earthquake occurred in the Sea of Japan between the Noto Peninsula and Sado Island at around 17:59 Jan. 9. The epicenter was about 60 km (37 miles) west-southwest of Sado, Niigata Prefecture. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and moderate shaking was probably felt across parts of the Noto Peninsula and Niigata Prefecture, including Sado Island. Light shaking was likely felt throughout much of central and northern Honshu Island. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. The tremor is likely an aftershock of the magnitude-7.5 quake that struck the region Jan. 1, and the additional shaking may cause further damage to buildings already weakened by the initial earthquake, as well as hamper ongoing recovery efforts. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Moderate aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has waned of possible fluctuations in sea levels due to the earthquake along the Noto Peninsula, Sado Island, and the Sea of Japan coast of Niigata Prefecture; waves are not expected to reach greater than 0.2 meters (0.7 feet) in height.

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.