Japanese islands shaken by earthquake after more than 1,000 tremors
July 3 (UPI) -- An island chain in southwest Japan was shaken by an earthquake on Thursday after over 1,000 tremors throughout two weeks.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Tokara island chain at about 4:13 p.m. with a magnitude as high as 7 recorded on Akuseki Island.
All 76 people on Akuseki Island were confirmed safe, no tsunami warning was issued and there were no reports of injury or property damage.
The residents have found shelter at a school after an evacuation order was issued, and the village is considering evacuating from the island.
The island chain has experienced heightened seismic activity since June 21 as local media described the wave of quakes as unusual.
"It's very scary to even fall asleep," one resident said. "It feels like it's always shaking."
"You can hear a strange roar from the ocean before the quakes hit, especially at night. It's eerie," Chizuko Arikawa from Akusekijima island told The Asahi Shimbun.
Some residents have been sleep-deprived and tired as they asked media to "be considerate and not make excessive inquiries or interviews," according to a notice on the village website
The country is on the edge of its seat with this series of tremors by rumors that a deadly earthquake could be coming soon.
Japan is prone to be one of the most seismically active nations, with about 1,500 earthquakes each year.
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