Earthquake hits Hokkaido region

A moderate magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck the Taisetsu Mountains region near Asahikawa on Sunday, Nov 8, at 11:15 pm local time, per volcanodiscovery.com.

The USGS reports that the quake occurred at a shallow depth and was felt across Hokkaido, prompting emergency response teams to assess damage in the area.

Recent volcanic activity in the Shikaribetsu Group has raised concerns among scientists, as increased seismic activity often precedes eruptions, volcanodiscovery.com notes.