Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                   Powerful Earthquakes Strike Southern Japan

   by VOA News

   At least one earthquake of magnitude 6.4 knocked over houses in
   southern Japan Thursday and might have trapped people under collapsed
   buildings. At least one fire was reported, but the scale of damage
   remains unclear, according to officials.

   A series of strong quakes began in Kumamoto prefecture, on Japan's
   Kyushu island, at 9:26pm local time.

   "There was a ka-boom and the whole house shook violently sideways,"
   local resident Takahiko Morita told Japanese broadcaster NHK in a phone
   interview. "Furniture and bookshelves fell down, books were all over
   the floor." He also said that some houses and walls were collapsed and
   the water supply had been cut off in his neighborhood in Mashiki, the
   town at the epicenter of the quake.

   ''Police in Kumamoto prefecture received multiple reports of collapsed
   houses with people possibly trapped.

   A smaller quake of at least 5.4 followed the initial quake about 30
   minutes later. The Japanese Meteorological Agency said the two
   earthquakes were of magnitudes 6.4 and 5.7 and warned there could be
   more strong aftershocks.

   "We are doing our best for emergency disaster measures by prioritizing
   efforts to save and rescue victims," Japan's top Cabinet secretary,
   Yoshihide Suga said. "I ask people in the disaster zone to act calmly
   and help each other."

   The epicenter of the initial earthquake was 120 kilometers from the
   nation's only operating nuclear plant, but an official said the plant
   was operating normally.

   Japanese media reported that Bullet train services were suspended after
   the quake.

   Japan has strict building codes and enforcement because of the
   frequency of earthquakes in the country. As a result, even powerful
   tremors cause limited damage which sits on the junction of four
   tectonic plates.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/japan-quake/3285705.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/japan-quake/3285705.html