Japan: Magnitude-5.5 offshore earthquake occurs east of Aomori Prefecture at around 09:12  April 6

A magnitude-5.5 offshore earthquake occurred east of Aomori Prefecture at around 09:12  April 6. The epicenter was about 138 km (85 miles) south of Honcho. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 24 km (15 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in parts of Aomori, Iwate, and Hokkaido prefectures. 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. 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.