NAGANO, Japan, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- The central Japan city of Nagano was jolted by an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 on Saturday night.
According to Japan's Meteorological Agency, the earthquake hit at 10:08 p.m. and caused damage and injuries, though no tsunami alert was issued.
Additionally, no issues or abnormalities were reported at the enormous Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant operated by Toykyo Electric Power Co. in Niigata Prefecture.
Firefighters reported injuries from collapsed houses in the villages of Hakuba and Ogawa in northern Nagano where there were also reports of ruptured water pipes.
Shortly before midnight, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters at a news conference that an advance team from the Ground Self-Defense Forces was being sent to the hardest-hit areas.
"I want to ask affected people to help each other and act calmly, " Suga said.
A powerful aftershock hit northern Nagano about 30 minutes after the initial earthquake and officials warned people in the region that landslides could be triggered by additional aftershocks that could last for about a week.
