(Baonghean.vn) - A magnitude 6 earthquake struck the southwestern coast of Japan at around 9:30 p.m. on April 14 local time, causing many buildings to shake violently and dozens of people to be injured. Fortunately, the nuclear power plant near the earthquake site was not affected.

Location of the earthquake. Photo: Internet

NHK, Japan, on April 14, quoted the US Geological Survey as saying that the earthquake occurred 11 km east of Kumamoto city. The earthquake's intensity initially reached 6.2 on the Richter scale and then gradually decreased.

Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said no tsunami warning had been issued and declined to give further details about the incident.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters, "We intend to do our utmost to control the situation. The Japanese government is making plans to respond to developments in Kumamoto."

People evacuate in front of a hotel after the earthquake.

Kyodo news agency said about 40 people are currently being treated at Kumamoto city hospital, some of whom are seriously injured.

Shortly after the earthquake, an explosion occurred in Mashiki, a town of about 34,000 people near the epicenter, public broadcaster NHK said.

Currently, there are about 16,000 households in Kumamoto without power and 38,000 homes without gas supply.

Several bullet trains passing through Kumamoto have been delayed for safety reasons.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no signs of abnormalities at three nuclear plants on the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, located not far from where the earthquake occurred.

Previously, in March 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake occurred off the coast north of Tokyo, leading to a historic tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 Japanese people and a catastrophic explosion at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Thanh Hien

(According to Reuters)