Tokyo earthquake: What was the magnitude, was anyone hurt and is it safe to travel there now?

AN EARTHQUAKE hit Tokyo on January 18, terrifying residents across Japan's capital.

We explain what the magnitude was and if it is safe to travel there.

What was the magnitude of the earthquake?

The magnitude was recorded to be a 5.1 by the United States Geological Survey.

And it was recorded as a 5.3 by the EMSC.

It was first reported to be a 5.8.

Any earthquake recorded to be a 5.0 to 5.9 is considered to be a moderate earthquake.

That means it can be felt by everyone. It can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over a small area.

The epicentre is estimated to have struck 79 km east of Tokyo, according to earthquake-tracking websites.

The quake struck at approximately 11.45am GMT, roughly 9.50pm local time.

It lasted about 15 seconds.

Was anyone hurt?

It is unclear if anyone was hurt in the immediate hours after the earthquake, but many reported that they felt it.

A CNN reporter tweeted: "We felt just a minor earthquake right now.

"Japanese meteorological agency says it was a 5.3 inland quake. No tsunami alert. No big deal for Japan."

A resident shared on EMSC's testimonies page that the earthquake was "enough to scare the kids".

Others reported seeing buildings swaying.

Is it safe to travel there?

The Foreign Office has said: "310,500 British nationals visited Japan in 2017. Most visits are trouble free.

"There’s a continuous risk of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis throughout Japan. Latest warnings and advisories are published on the Japan Meteorological Agency website.

"As Japan is in a major earthquake zone you should familiarise yourself with safety procedures in the event of an earthquake or tsunami, and take note of instructions in hotel rooms, at train stations and on your local prefectural website."

You can read the most updated travel advice here.