Strong earthquake hits Japan, minor injuries reported, tsunami warning lifted

A strong earthquake struck northern Japan on Saturday, shook buildings even in Tokyo and triggered a tsunami warning for part of the north coast. No major damage was reported, but several people suffered minor injuries.

The United States Geological Survey calculated the strength of the earthquake at a magnitude of 7.0 and a depth of 54 km. The shaking started just before 6:10 p.m.

The quake struck off the coast of Miyagi prefecture in the country’s rugged northeast, which was severely damaged during the massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 18,000 people.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning up to 1m high for Miyagi Prefecture immediately after the earthquake, but lifted it about 90 minutes later.

Officials said there were no immediate reports of damage.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said seven people were injured in Miyagi prefecture, including two elderly women, one who was hit on the head with a door and the other who was hit on the shoulder by furniture. In neighboring Iwate Prefecture, a woman in her 50s fell and cut her mouth.

The strong shaking caused a temporary blackout in some areas and suspended bullet train services in the area, according to East Japan Railway Co.

The Nuclear Regulatory Authority said no anomalies have been detected at nuclear power plants in the region, including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which suffered collapses in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Akira Wakimoto, a crisis management official in the city of Tome in Miyagi prefecture, said he was in his apartment when the earthquake struck and he felt his room shake for a long time.

In a coastal town of Ofunato, Shotaro Suzuki, a hotel employee, said there was a temporary power outage and the elevators stopped briefly, but power was restored and there were no other problems.

“Our guests seemed concerned at first, but they have all returned to their rooms and our facilities seem fine,” Suzuki (asterisk) told NHK.

In mid-February, another strong earthquake in the region killed one person and injured more than 180 people, although most of the injuries were minor. The earthquake damaged roads, train tracks and thousands of houses. It also caused minor damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

A spokeswoman for the Japan Meteorological Agency, Noriko Kamaya, told a news conference that Saturday’s earthquake is considered an aftershock of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake in 2011. Kamaya urged people to exercise caution and stay away from the coast due to possible high waves.