Japan: A magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake occurs off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture at around 20:40 April 24

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture at around 20:40 April 24. The epicenter was about 9 km (6 miles) east of Funaishikawa. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 55 km (34 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of east-central Honshu Island. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; 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. 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.