Japan: Magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake occurs east of Honshu at around 19:17 Feb. 24

A magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake occurred off the east coast of Japan at around 19:17 Feb. 24. The epicenter was about 128 km (80 miles) east of Miyako City. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of northeastern Honshu. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties; however, significant damage is unlikely. 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.