A Magnitude-7.3 Earthquake Near Fukushima in Japan Has Set Off Tsunami Alerts
On Wednesday evening local time, a magnitude-7.3 earthquake hit just off Japan’s east coast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency promptly issued tsunami advisories for Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures.
Two small tsunami waves made landfall, but so far no unusual activity has been recorded in the country’s nuclear power plants.
A magnitude-7.3 earthquake hit just off Japan’s east coast on Wednesday night local time, which caused the ground to shake for more than two minutes. More than two million homes lost power, the New York Times reports, including residents of the Koto district in Tokyo and residents of the Kanto region. No casualties were reported three hours after the quake, and the extent of damage is not yet known.
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Following the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami advisories for Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures. An “advisory” level alert means waves hitting the coasts could reach up to one meter high. Two small tsunami waves have since hit the coast.
The first tsunami wave made landfall at the Miyagi port in Japan around 12:30 a.m. local time on Thursday morning. Officials advised around 39,000 people to evacuate the Miyagi area. As per earthquake protocol in Japan, train lines have also been suspended.
Tsunami alerts are also active in the northern Fukushima region. After the massive 2011 earthquake, a major tsunami breached the sea walls and caused three reactors at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to melt down. Residents fear the destruction a new tsunami could cause, but as of 1 a.m. local time on Thursday, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no abnormalities at nuclear power plants.
Because this earthquake originated 37 miles below the sea, it did not have major destructive power. By contrast, during the Kobe earthquake of 1995, more than 6,000 people were killed.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. We will update this piece as we learn more.
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