A strong aftershock measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted north Japan's Niigata Prefecture Monday morning, leading the death toll from the three major quakes that hit the prefecture Saturday to reach 24, with more than 2,000 injured.  

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, there were no immediate reports of casualties from the latest aftershock, which occurred at 6:05 AM (2105 GMT) and registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7.

The three deadly quakes that struck Saturday evening were classed as having upper-6 intensity.

Its focus was about 10 kilometers underground in the Chuetsu region in central Niigata Prefecture, the agency said.    

Typhoon Nock-ten approaches south Japan island     

Typhoon Nock-ten approached Yonaguni Island, south Japan's Okinawa Prefecture, on Monday morning, buffeting it with winds gusting to 90 kilometers per hour.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the typhoon, the season's 24th, is likely to approach Okinawa Island, but it is expected to gradually weaken.

At 10 AM (0100 GMT), Nock-ten, meaning "bird" in Laotian, was located about 80 km west of Yonaguni, moving north at 30 kph. It had an atmospheric pressure of 970 hectopascals and winds of up to 126 kph near its center.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2004)