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Osaka earthquake: Scenes show damage from strongest tremor to hit the region in decades

Oona McGee Jun 18, 2018
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The shallow epicentre caused strong tremors that killed three and injured dozens of people in the region.

At 7:58 a.m. on 18 June, an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the moment magnitude scale, and a lower 6 on the Japanese seismic scale of 7, was recorded in the northern part of Osaka Prefecture at a depth of about 13 kilometres (8 miles). Reports from the Meteorological Agency showed the earthquake shook a large part of Japan, with tremors felt as far south as Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, and all the way up to Ibaraki Prefecture, past Tokyo.

【大阪で震度6弱、京都で震度5強　津波の心配なし】
7時58分ごろ、大阪府で最大震度6弱の地震が発生しました。
今後の情報にご注意ください。朝の通勤、通学の時間帯ですので、身の安全を最優先になさってください。危険な場所には決して近づかないでください。https://t.co/UwhlrAlyoO pic.twitter.com/SxJprpiLLZ

— Yahoo!天気・災害（ヤフー天気）🌤 (@Yahoo_weather) June 17, 2018

Although its magnitude was relatively weak – the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 registered 9.0–9.1 on the moment magnitude scale – the shallow epicentre resulted in high-intensity tremors that caused widespread damage in Osaka, with the hardest-hit areas being the cities of Takatsuki, Hirakata and Ibaraki (not to be confused with the above-mentioned Ibaraki Prefecture).

▼ Houses shook, rocking furniture and shattering plates and other items.

https://twitter.com/makoto147lucky/status/1008486879879020546 https://twitter.com/rabbit_san_tykn/status/1008486255208775680

▼ Heavy tiles on a number of traditional-style buildings were damaged, opening up holes in rooftops.

https://twitter.com/rabbit_san_tykn/status/1008590797602619392

The earthquake’s epicentre, located at Takatsuki, which is roughly halfway between the cities of Osaka and Kyoto, suffered extensive damage, with water seen leaking from a burst pipe at Takatsuki Station.

地震の影響で高槻駅水漏れしてる… pic.twitter.com/SwRQ4nE9iS

— こうへい (@Kohei_miz) June 17, 2018

Burst water pipes were also seen on the road in Takatsuki’s Shimotanabecho district.

高槻地震。下田部付近地割れ pic.twitter.com/lG5PJwF8q7

— おとん (@tsoma0) June 17, 2018

Lockers used to store shoes at the entrance to a local school show just how strong the jolt must’ve been.

https://twitter.com/atsu_ender1001/status/1008506133328244736

Sadly, a nine-year-old girl was killed in Takatsuki when a wall beside a swimming pool at Juei Elementary School collapsed as she walked on the road beside it.

【報道関係者各位】弊社撮影の写真は、自由にお使い下さい。 pic.twitter.com/wM0MjFJOqK

— Radio171 高槻ブロードキャスト (@Radio171) June 18, 2018

Another fatality was confirmed in the neighbouring region of Ibaraki, where a man in his 80s was crushed by a bookshelf at home. Authorities have advised residents in the area to be on alert for the possibility of strong aftershocks, with emergency workers shutting off gas services temporarily and working to fix burst water pipes to ensure the safety of residents.

Scenes at Ibaraki Station show fallen signboards and stranded commuters on the platform shortly after the quake struck this morning.

身バレしちゃうけどこれはヤバみが深い pic.twitter.com/UinC3cQtzv

— あーるさん (@Rsan0614MC) June 17, 2018

In Osaka City, an 80-year-old man died after being hit by a falling wall, bringing the current number of fatalities from the earthquake to three. Osaka City itself also suffered extensive damage, with burst water pipes spewing water several metres into the air in the eastern part of the city.

地震で水道管破裂した！ pic.twitter.com/Rn20DRagY8

— スロリーマン兼アマスト (@GOGOBUUUN) June 17, 2018

Shin-Osaka Station also experienced a strong tremor, which toppled public phones.

新大阪駅で地震に遭遇。結構揺れた。公衆電話が倒れてた。 pic.twitter.com/kwfsJBqaZd

— はくじぃ (@hakujii_wwf) June 17, 2018

▼ Shops like this bookstore in Shin-Osaka Station were affected.

ん～やっぱりかなり揺れたんだ。。。 pic.twitter.com/a76dHGQL6Y

— のの (@nono_nogisaka) June 17, 2018

▼ The ticket booth at Universal Studios Japan was also damaged in the quake.

大阪地震大丈夫かな…
ユニバの入り口バキバキなってる💦 pic.twitter.com/w5u2CsdtIw

— 明日キララ ❤️ UNIVERSE本店【大阪】 (@kirakiraasita) June 17, 2018

https://twitter.com/Reon_smile_/status/1008495788693942273

Train services in the area were immediately suspended following the earthquake, causing extensive delays. This video shows passengers stranded at Nishikujō Station Osaka’s Konohana Ward, approximately 25 minutes after the tremor.

https://twitter.com/YanagiSaisei/status/1008490329283022848

As all services in the Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Shiga, and Wakayama) were suspended, commuters shared eerie pictures of deserted stations.

地震の影響で全路線運休、復旧目処なしのJR大阪駅。こんなに人のいない大阪駅は初めて。 pic.twitter.com/Jlh7bCCVYy

— やたてつ／Yata-Tetsu (@yyyy_yatatetsu) June 18, 2018

大阪駅、英中韓で運休の旨を書くのはいいアイデアだと思いますが、英語の時点で怪しい雰囲気がプンプンしていて恐ろしいです。 pic.twitter.com/efe5VWQwch

— やたてつ／Yata-Tetsu (@yyyy_yatatetsu) June 18, 2018

The Sanyo Shinkansen eventually resumed operations at 2:58 p.m., seven hours after the quake hit.

【山陽新幹線上下線運転再開】
山陽新幹線は、7:58頃、大阪府北部を震源とするM6.1の最大震度６弱を観測した地震による被害状況調査･安全確認の影響で、新大阪〜岡山の上下線で運転を見合わせていましたが、14:58頃に全線で運転を再開しました。 pic.twitter.com/8cjRxymSTw

— とれいんふぉ関西エリア (@Trainfo_West) June 18, 2018

In 2016, the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit Kumamoto on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu was preceded by a magnitude 6.2 temblor two days earlier, so residents in Osaka are taking precautions, wiping supermarket shelves of goods like instant noodles, canned foods, gas canisters, batteries, and bottled water.

大阪市内のスーパーやけど、地震の影響かカップ麺と2Lペットボトルがほぼ売り切れに。 pic.twitter.com/7xJQfdOBiJ

— てくな。！ (@tech77Na) June 18, 2018

Residents in the Kansai region were previously rocked by the Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, in 1995, which measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and 7 on the Japanese seismic scale, causing enormous damage.

With more than a hundred people injured in today’s quake, authorities are urging residents to stay calm and remain vigilant over the coming days, as strong aftershocks remain a possibility.

Source: Net Lab
Featured image: Twitter/@Rsan0614MC