Seismic security

Strong quakes hit Japan, killing at least 2, and Guatemala

A strong earthquake hit the Japanese city of Osaka during morning rush hour Monday, killing at least two people and injuring 40, Japan's government says.

The 5.3 magnitude quake shook Osaka, on Japan's main Honshu Island, around 8 a.m. Monday local time (7 p.m. Sunday ET) according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The Japan Meteorology Agency put the magnitude at 5.9 and JMA Seismic Intensity at 5.3.

Collapsing walls killed a 9-year-old girl as she traveled to school as well as an adult man, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

Local broadcaster NHK reported a third death and said that 200 people had been hurt. Nearly 700 people were in evacuation centers and 100,000 homes were without gas, NHK said.

Trains remain suspended across Osaka Prefecture, causing major travel delays. Some 170,000 homes suffered temporary power outages, which were resolved within hours after the quake, according to Kansai Electric co.