A strong earthquake knocked over walls and set off scattered fires around the city of Osaka in western Japan on Monday morning, and at least two people were feared dead.

　　Myotokuji temple is destroyed by an earthquake registering a weak 6 on the Japanese seismic scale in Ibaraki City, the north side of Osaka Prefecture on June 18, 2018. [Photo: IC]

　　Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said two people were found with no vital signs and 41 others had been injured. Japanese media reported one of the likely victims is a 9-year-old girl at a school. Japanese authorities don't confirm death until after an examination at a hospital.

　　The magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck shortly after 8 a.m. north of Osaka at a depth of about 13 kilometers, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The initial strength of the quake was measured at 5.9.

　　The strongest shaking was north of Osaka, the agency said.

　　The quake knocked over walls, broke windows and set off scattered building fires. It toppled book shelves in homes and scattered goods on the floor of convenience stores and other shops.

　　The morning commute was disrupted as train and subway service in the Osaka area including the bullet train were suspended to check for damage to equipment. Television images showed passengers getting off trains onto the tracks between stations.