Strong earthquake hits the northeast coast of Japan; no tsunami warning

A strong earthquake hit the coast of northeast Japan on Saturday night, shaking Fukushima, Miyagi and other areas, but there was no threat of a tsunami, authorities said.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said there were no irregularities at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which experienced collapses after a massive earthquake and tsunami 10 years ago.

There were no immediate reports of irregularities from other nuclear plants in the area, such as Onagawa or Fukushima Dai-ni, government spokesman Katsunobu Kato told reporters.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3, raising it from a preliminary magnitude of 7.1.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said that around 860,000 homes were without power as a result of the earthquake, but that electricity was gradually being restored, according to Kato.

Kato said there was no tsunami danger from the earthquake. He said some trains in northeast Japan had stopped running and other damage was still being reviewed.

Video from public broadcaster NHK TV showed that pieces of a building’s wall had detached and fallen to the ground, and some pieces of glass were scattered in a store. Items fell off the shelves due to the shaking, NHK said. Aerial footage from NHK showed a part of a road blocked by a landslide in Soma, a city in Fukushima prefecture.

The extent of the damage caused by the landslide was not immediately clear, Kato said.

He said there were several reports of minor injuries from the earthquake, such as a man being struck by a falling object.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake had its epicenter about 55 kilometers (34 miles) below the ocean, changing it from the previous estimate of 60 kilometers (37 miles).

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga went to his office immediately after the earthquake reports, and a crisis center was set up there. He said there were no reports of serious injuries.

“We will continue to respond, prioritizing human lives,” Suga told reporters early Sunday.

The tremor was felt in Tokyo, to the southwest.

The same northeastern area suffered an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in March 2011. Experts warned of aftershocks in the coming days, including possibly larger earthquakes.

Some people took refuge in evacuation centers and were warned to practice social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

– AP