Tokyo, Aug 23: At least 37 people were injured after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, early on Sunday.

The earthquake also caused burst water pipes and disruptions to transportation in some areas, local media reported.

Japan’s Fuji News Network, citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, reported that as of 10 a.m. local time, at least 37 people were injured in Tokyo, Ibaraki Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture and other areas, reports Xinhua news agency.

The earthquake temporarily disrupted some train services in the Kanto region, although operations are gradually being restored. Multiple water pipes burst in Tokyo and other areas, causing temporary flooding on some roads.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the temblor occurred at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday at a depth of about 70 km, measuring a lower 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of Ibaraki, Saitama and Chiba prefectures as well as Tokyo’s Adachi Ward.

A lower 5 quake is defined by the agency as shaking that causes most people to be frightened and to hold on to something stable, while objects may fall from shelves.

The quake was clearly felt in Tokyo, with some people living in the city posting on social media that it was the strongest shaking they had experienced in recent years. The tremor was also felt across a wide swath of the country, including northeastern and central Japan.

The weather agency urged the public to remain alert for an earthquake registering lower 5 over the next week, especially during the next two to three days.

No abnormalities were detected at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Ibaraki Prefecture or the disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and the nearby Fukushima Daini plant in northeastern Japan, according to their operators.

Mumbai; There was chaos in Kurla Quraish Nagar when a crane fell on the site during the demolition of an old dilapidated building, causing 10 people to be seriously injured. The injured were admitted to Sine, Kurla Bhabha Hospital. According to Dr. Naveen, AMO of Sine Hospital, eight injured people have been admitted to the hospital, including Jagarullah Nabi Khan 63, Ahmed Niaz Ahmed, 3 months, Atiqur Rehman, 60, Hakim Sheikh, 36, Noman Khan, 21, Reham Khan, 19, Suraj Gaur, 10, Akbar, 40

All eight are undergoing treatment and their condition is said to be stable.

Two injured were admitted to Kurla Bhabha Hospital. According to the hospital’s AMO Dr Sheetal, they have been identified as Raju Gad, 35, and Aartigaud, 30. According to officials, both the victims are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable. The crane used during the demolition work The MMRDA, while issuing an official statement on the incident, said, “Demolition work was being carried out at Building No. 1, Bhandari Metallurgy, Kurla. A crane was brought to the site for the work, however, the crane operation had not started. While the crane was being placed on the site, it tilted and fell towards the adjacent structure. The ground at the location was soft, which appears to have affected the stability of the crane. Some people suffered minor injuries in the incident. The MMRDA is providing all necessary medical aid and assistance to the injured. He added, “The MMRDA immediately mobilized the required machinery and manpower, and the work of removing the fallen crane is being done on priority basis.” The site has been secured and all necessary precautions are being taken. The demolition work was being carried out by M/s Sunny Company. During the operation, a part of the hydraulic crane fell on the high-tension railway overhead wires.
The slum of Qureshi Nagar was hit by the falling crane. According to initial information, the falling material also hit nearby huts in Qureshi Nagar, the road of Samrat Ashok Nagar, the wall of the Mahada building and three to four four-wheelers parked inside the Mahada building premises. Earlier, the authorities had said that the incident took place during the work being done in connection with the proposed eviction and demolition operation at the site. The restoration work is in progress. Restoration and security measures are being taken at the site while the authorities are monitoring the situation. Officials are also gathering information to find out if anyone else is trapped at the site.

Around 10 acres of forest land in the Shilubepura forest range of Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district were gutted in a fire on Thursday, with forest officials suspecting that the blaze may have been deliberately set following the recent action in which three poachers were killed in self-defence by Forest Department staff after they came under fire from the hunters.Officials suspect that the fire could have been a retaliatory act aimed at creating fear among forest department personnel and disrupting anti-poaching operations in the region.

The blaze was reported in the Shilubepura forest area, where anti-poaching camps were also allegedly targeted. The incident comes days after forest department personnel allegedly shot dead three suspected poachers during an encounter in the Hanur forest range.

The encounter has triggered demands from the Opposition and local groups for an impartial investigation into the deaths.Forest officials are examining whether the fire and the attacks on anti-poaching camps are linked to the operation. They are also investigating the possibility that the incidents were intended to intimidate forest personnel and disrupt anti-poaching operations.The incident has raised further concerns after gelatin explosives were allegedly used to target anti-poaching camps (APCs) in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary following the killing of the three suspected poachers.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government is considering stringent measures to curb poaching activities in the region. The Forest Department has collected data on wildlife hunting cases dating back to 2011, with more than 3,200 poaching cases reportedly registered during the period.

The department is planning decisive action against those involved in poaching, officials said.

Following the operation, the Forest Department has reportedly gathered information about a large network of poachers operating in Hanur and surrounding areas along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.

According to the information gathered by the department, poaching gangs allegedly supply wildlife meat and skins based on demand, with orders reportedly coming from Bengaluru and other metropolitan cities across the country.

The attacks on anti-poaching camps and the torching of forest areas are suspected to be attempts to instil fear among forest personnel and disrupt anti-poaching operations.

The government is considering stringent measures against the poaching network even as the magisterial enquiry report into the Forest Department action that resulted in the deaths of three suspected poachers is expected to be submitted by August 24.

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has also initiated an investigation into the action, which the Forest Department stated was conducted in self-defence as the poachers hid behind a boulder and fired at them.

Further details regarding the cause of the fire and the suspected involvement of individuals are awaited as the investigations continue.