A robust 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Fukushima in northeastern Japan on Wednesday night, triggering a tsunami advisory and plunging greater than two million houses within the Tokyo space into darkness.
There have been no rapid experiences of casualties.
The area is a part of the identical space of the nation that was devastated by a lethal 9.0 quake and tsunami 11 years in the past that additionally brought on nuclear plant meltdowns. Wednesday’s quake got here solely days after the realm marked the eleventh anniversary of the catastrophe of March 2011.
The Tokyo Electrical Energy Firm Holdings, which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant the place the cooling techniques failed after the 2011 catastrophe, stated that staff had been checking for any doable harm.
The Japan Meteorological Company stated the quake hit at 11:36 p.m. at a depth of 60 kilometres beneath the ocean.
The company issued a tsunami advisory for as much as a metre sea surge in elements of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. NHK nationwide tv stated the tsunami may need reached some areas already.
Houses lose energy, trains suspended
Japan’s Air Self-Defence Drive stated it dispatched fighter jets from the Hyakuri base in Ibaraki prefecture, simply south of Fukushima, for info gathering and harm evaluation.
Greater than two million houses had been with out electrical energy within the Tokyo area serviced by TEPCO because of the quake, the utility stated on its web site. The quake shook massive elements of japanese Japan, together with Tokyo, the place buildings swayed violently.
East Japan Railway Co. stated most of its prepare providers had been suspended for security checks.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed reporters that the federal government was assessing the extent of injury and promised to do its utmost for rescue and reduction operations.
“Please first take motion to avoid wasting your life,” Kishida tweeted.