|
A
powerful
7.3
magnitude
earthquake
struck
off
the
coast
of
Fukushima
in
northern
Japan
on
Wednesday
evening,
triggering
a
tsunami
advisory
and
plunging
more
than
2
million
homes
in
the
Tokyo
area
into
darkness.
The
region
is
part
of
northern
Japan
that
was
devastated
by
a
deadly
9.0
quake
and
tsunami
11
years
ago
that
also
caused
nuclear
plant
meltdowns.
The
Pacific
Tsunami
Warning
Centre
said
there
was
no
longer
a
tsunami
threat
though
the
Japan
Meteorological
Agency
kept
its
low
risk
advisory
in
place.
NHK
national
television
said
tsunami
waves
of
20
centimeters
(8
inches)
already
reached
shore
in
one
area.
The
Tokyo
Electric
Power
Company
Holdings,
which
operates
the
Fukushima
Daiichi
nuclear
plant
where
the
cooling
systems
failed
after
the
2011
disaster,
said
workers
found
no
abnormalities
at
the
site,
which
was
in
the
process
of
being
decommissioned.
There
are
no
immediate
reports
of
casualties
or
damage.
Chief
Cabinet
Secretary
Hirokazu
Matsuno
told
reporters
that
there
were
also
no
abnormalities
at
two
other
nuclear
power
plants
in
the
area.
The
Japan
Meteorological
Agency
said
the
quake
hit
at
11:36
pm
at
a
depth
of
60
kilometers
below
the
sea.
Japan’s
Air
Self-Defense
Force
said
it
dispatched
fighter
jets
from
the
Hyakuri
base
in
Ibaraki
prefecture,
just
south
of
Fukushima,
for
information
gathering
and
damage
assessment.
NHK
said
there
were
reports
of
fire,
damage
to
buildings
and
falling
rocks
in
Iitate
town
in
Fukushima.
There
was
no
word
on
any
casualties.
More
than
2
million
homes
were
without
electricity
in
the
Tokyo
region
serviced
by
TEPCO
due
to
the
quake,
the
utility
said
on
its
website.
The
quake
shook
large
parts
of
eastern
Japan,
including
Tokyo,
where
buildings
swayed
violently.
East
Japan
Railway
Co.
said
most
of
its
train
services
were
suspended
for
safety
checks.
Prime
Minister
Fumio
Kishida
told
reporters
that
the
government
was
assessing
the
extent
of
damage
and
promised
to
do
its
utmost
for
rescue
and
relief
operations.
“Please
first
take
action
to
save
your
life,”
Kishida
tweeted.
Matsuno
said
there
were
a
number
of
emergency
calls
and
local
authorities
were
scrambling
to
assess
damage.
“We
are
doing
our
utmost
in
rescue
operations
and
putting
people’s
lives
first,”
he
said.
He
urged
residents
in
the
affected
areas
to
use
extra
caution
for
possible
major
aftershocks
for
about
a
week.
Story first published: Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 23:15 [IST]
For Quick Alerts Subscribe Now For Quick Alerts ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS | Published: Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 23:15 [IST] A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday evening, triggering a tsunami advisory and plunging more than 2 million homes in the Tokyo area into darkness. The region is part of northern Japan that was devastated by a deadly 9.0 quake and tsunami 11 years ago that also caused nuclear plant meltdowns. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no longer a tsunami threat though the Japan Meteorological Agency kept its low risk advisory in place. NHK national television said tsunami waves of 20 centimeters (8 inches) already reached shore in one area. The Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant where the cooling systems failed after the 2011 disaster, said workers found no abnormalities at the site, which was in the process of being decommissioned. There are no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that there were also no abnormalities at two other nuclear power plants in the area. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake hit at 11:36 pm at a depth of 60 kilometers below the sea. Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force said it dispatched fighter jets from the Hyakuri base in Ibaraki prefecture, just south of Fukushima, for information gathering and damage assessment. NHK said there were reports of fire, damage to buildings and falling rocks in Iitate town in Fukushima. There was no word on any casualties. More than 2 million homes were without electricity in the Tokyo region serviced by TEPCO due to the quake, the utility said on its website. The quake shook large parts of eastern Japan, including Tokyo, where buildings swayed violently. East Japan Railway Co. said most of its train services were suspended for safety checks. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that the government was assessing the extent of damage and promised to do its utmost for rescue and relief operations. “Please first take action to save your life,” Kishida tweeted. Matsuno said there were a number of emergency calls and local authorities were scrambling to assess damage. “We are doing our utmost in rescue operations and putting people’s lives first,” he said. He urged residents in the affected areas to use extra caution for possible major aftershocks for about a week. Story first published: Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 23:15 [IST]