THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
An earthquake Monday jolted Niigata and Nagano prefectures, killing at least two people, injuring more than 250 and causing emergency shutdowns of nuclear reactors.
The 10:13 a.m. quake registered upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, Japan Meteorological Agency officials said.
The magnitude 6.8 quake's focus was about 17 kilometers below the seabed some 60 km southwest of Niigata city.
Aftershocks were felt in the Kashiwazaki area of Niigata Prefecture in the afternoon. Meteorological agency officials warned that aftershocks of up to upper 5, or even lower 6, could continue in some areas for about a week.
They also warned of landslides following torrential downpours from Typhoon No. 4, which swept out to the Pacific Ocean on Sunday.
Police said an apartment building collapsed in Kashiwazaki, trapping three people who were rescued by prefectural police around midday.
More than 15 houses collapsed in Kashiwazaki, trapping the occupants, according to police.
The jolt caused a transformer outside the No. 3 reactor of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. to catch fire. Black smoke was visible, and the fire was brought under control by noon.
Four workers suffered minor injuries, company officials said.
The plant's four reactors in operation automatically shut down when the earthquake hit. Three other reactors were not operating because they were undergoing inspections.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was in Kyushu campaigning for the July 29 Upper House election, canceled his speeches and flew back to Tokyo to deal with the crisis.
Some Shinkansen train services were suspended and a JR Shinetsu Line train derailed at Kashiwazaki Station. (IHT/Asahi: July 16,2007)
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