Strong earthquake hits Osaka in western Japan leaving three people dead

Residents in western Japan were cleaning up debris on Monday after a powerful earthquake hit the area around Osaka, the country’s second-largest city of commerce, killing three people and injuring hundreds while knocking over walls and setting off fires.

The magnitude 6.1 earthquake that struck the area early on Monday damaged buildings, knocked down walls and roof tiles, and left many homes without water or gas. The quake also grounded flights in and out of Osaka, and paralysed traffic and commuter trains most of the day.

By Monday evening, bullet trains and some local trains had resumed operation, with stations swollen with commuters trying to get home, many of them waiting in long lines. An exodus of commuters who chose to walk home filled sidewalks and bridges.