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Waves crash against the seashore in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. The Pacific coast was devastated by a monstrous tsunami in 2011.
Japan’s meteorological agency raised a tsunami advisory about an hour after a strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the country’s northeast coast on Saturday, causing no immediate damage or injuries.
The earthquake occurred at 18:09 (09:09 GMT) in Pacific waters off the Miyagi region with a depth of 60 kilometers, the JMA said, issuing a warning for tsunami waves of around one meter.
Thousands of homes received evacuation warnings for the tsunami warning, which was lifted around 7:30 p.m. (10:30 GMT), prompting municipalities to end evacuation measures as well.
Local public services and the nation’s nuclear authority said the region’s nuclear plants showed no anomalies after the latest earthquake, although local rail companies suspended services, including high-speed shinkansen bullet trains.
VIDEO: NTV News cameras capture a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Miyagi prefecture, Japan, earlier today; Includes footage of the NTV newsroom during the earthquake. [NTV] pic.twitter.com/dfoVylb1NI
– Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) March 20, 2021
VIDEO: NHK Street cameras captured the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan this morning. A tsunami watch has been issued for Miyagi Prefecture. [NHK] pic.twitter.com/nHIDc3SpdK
– Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) March 20, 2021
The United States Geological Survey calculated the strength of the earthquake at a magnitude of 7.0.
The earthquake and tsunami warning comes shortly after Japan turned 10 years since the catastrophic 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011, which triggered a deadly tsunami and the collapse of Fukushima. The so-called triple disaster affected northeast Japan, including Miyagi.
Some residents of coastal communities said they had fled to higher ground after the advisory was issued Saturday night.
“I remembered that day 10 years ago,” a man in the city of Ishinomaki told the national broadcaster NHK as he fled to a park on a hill.
He said:
“Due to our experience that day, I moved quickly. My heart is pounding.”
There were no immediate reports of damage, according to Takashi Yokota, an official with the Miyagi Prefecture Disaster Management Office.
“We have not received any immediate reports of damage or injuries after the earthquake and the tsunami warning. But we are still gathering information,” he told AFP.
Last month, the region was also rocked by another strong earthquake that injured dozens. Forecasters said it was an aftershock from the 2011 earthquake.
Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity that spans Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim.
The country is regularly hit by earthquakes and has strict building regulations aimed at ensuring that buildings can withstand strong tremors.
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