Tokyo area hit by earthquake which ‘shakes walls, rattles furniture’

An earthquake of 4.9 magnitude has reportedly struck Tokyo, Japan. TASS reports the jolt was felt in its Tokyo office with the “walls trembling and furniture swaying.”

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) has put the strength of the tremor at 5.1 magnitude. The epicenter of the earthquake was located some 36 km east of Tokyo.

According to the USGS, the magnitude of the earthquake was 4.9, and the epicenter was located offshore, some 70 km below Tokyo bay. The tremor was reportedly felt not only in Tokyo but in 16 other prefectures across central Japan.

The quake triggered a tsunami warning, though it was called off a few minutes later by Japan’s Meteorological Agency.

The earthquake was preceded by a false warning of a major earthquake approaching. The alarm was reportedly triggered by two near-simultaneous minor offshore jolts which occurred earlier on Friday.

Local residents reported on social media having clearly felt the jolt, which rocked furniture and sent objects flying off the shelves of their houses.