This region is located in northern Japan and was devastated by the devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami 11 year ago. The nuclear plant meltdowns also caused massive radiation, making some areas uninhabitable.
Local news agency Kyodo reported that at most one person was killed in the quake. Reuters reported that at minimum 69 people were hurt.
Although there is no tsunami threat, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated that there is no tsunami danger. However, the Japan Meteorological Agency maintained its low-risk advisory. NHK television reported that tsunami waves measuring 20 cm (8 inches) had already reached Ishinomaki (390 km (242 miles) northeast Tokyo.
NHK footage showed that the walls of a department store were toppled to the ground, and that shards from windows were scattered along the street near Fukushima’s main train station. The scene is located approximately 60 km (36 miles) west of the coast.
Online videos showed people’s homes shaking around the capital. John Daub, YouTube video creator posted one clip of his house rattling.
AFP was told by an official at the Ishinomaki emergency department that he was awakened by “extremely violent shaking”.
“I heard the ground creak.” He said that he didn’t feel scared and instead remembered the Great East Japan Earthquake, which was the 2011 disaster.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings operates Fukushima Daiichi’s nuclear plant, where cooling systems failed following the 2011 disaster. Workers found no unusualities at the site which was being decommissioned.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that a fire alarm was set off at No. 5 turbine building. The Fukushima Daiichi 5 reactor, but there wasn’t an actual fire. The water pumps that cool the spent fuel pool at Fukushima Daini were briefly shut down, but they were later re-opened. Fukushima Daini has also been set for decommissioning.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake occurred at 11.36 p.m. at a depth 60 kilometers (36 mi) below the ocean.
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force stated that it sent fighter jets to the Hyakuri base in Ibaraki prefecture just south of Fukushima for information gathering and damage assessment.
NHK reported that there were reports of fires, buildings being damaged and falling rocks at Iitate town in Fukushima. No word was available on the number of casualties.
According to the companies, more than 2.2 million homes in 14 prefectures of northeastern Japan, including the Tokyo region, were without electricity. TEPCO and Tohoku Electric Power Co. serviced them.
Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister, stated that power would be restored shortly after midnight Wednesday.
The earthquake shook large areas of eastern Japan, including Tokyo. Buildings were shaken violently.
East Japan Railway Co. stated that most of its train services had been suspended due to safety concerns. Some local trains were later restored to service.
Kishida stated that although a Tohoku Shinkansen express train was partially derail between Fukushima, Miyagi, and the earthquake caused it to be partially disabled, nobody was hurt.
He stated that the government was currently assessing the damage and promised to do everything possible for rescue and relief operations.
Kishida wrote, “Please take immediate action to save your own life.”
Hirokazu Matsuno, Chief Cabinet Secretary, stated that there were many emergency calls and that local authorities were scrambling for damage assessment.
He stated, “We are doing everything we can to rescue people and put their lives first.”
He advised residents living in affected areas to be extra cautious for potential aftershocks, for approximately a week.
