Magnitude 5.1 quake jolts Niigata

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 jolted the central part of Niigata Prefecture at 1:18 p.m. Thursday, the Meteorological Agency said.

There were no reports of casualties or damage and no tsunami warning was issued, it said. But Joetsu Shinkansen Line trains between Tokyo and Niigata Prefecture were halted as a precautionary measure, East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) said.

The quake registered a lower 5 on the Japanese intensity scale of 7 in Tokamachi, Yuzawa, Shiozawa, Tsunan and Nakazato, all in Niigata Prefecture, the agency said.

Its intensity scale reading was 4 in Kashiwazaki, Yasuzuka, Matsudai and Kakizaki, all in the same prefecture. The quake was also felt in Nagano, Gunma and Yamagata prefectures.

On Tuesday night, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 hit the same area.