Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake Rattles Northern Japan

(MENAFN) A significant earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale rattled northern Japan in the early morning hours Friday, shaking residents awake but causing no immediate casualties.

The tremor's epicenter was located offshore from Aomori prefecture, striking at 1.17 a.m. Friday local time (1617GMT) at a depth of 61.6 kilometers (38.2 miles), the US Geological Survey reported.

Authorities issued no tsunami warnings following the seismic event, and officials confirmed zero damage reports from affected areas across the northern region.

The latest quake follows a far more severe 7.5 magnitude earthquake that devastated northeastern Japan earlier this month, raising concerns about continued seismic activity in the tectonically volatile region.

Seismologists continue monitoring aftershock patterns as communities remain on alert.

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