Japan: A magnitude-6.3 offshore earthquake occurs west of Shikoku Island at around 23:14 April 17

A magnitude-6.3 earthquake occurred in the Bungo Channel off the west coast of Shokoku Island at around 23:14 April 17. The epicenter was about 17 km (11 miles) west-southwest of Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 26 km (16 miles), and strong-to-moderate shaking was probably felt in parts of western Ehime and western Kochi prefectures. Moderate-to-light shaking was probably felt throughout the rest of Shikoku, Kyushu, and western Honshu islands, as well as surrounding smaller islands. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; some damage to infrastructure is possible in areas of western Shikoku Island close to the epicenter. 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 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.