Japan: Magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurs in far eastern Saitama Prefecture at around 09:08 March 21

A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred in far eastern Saitama Prefecture at around 09:08 March 21. The epicenter was about 4 km (2.5 miles) east of Kasukabe. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 48 km (30 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in Kanto, western Chubu, and southern Tohoku regions. 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. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

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.