Strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake hits northeast Japan: Tsunami Alert
A strong earthquake has jolted northeastern Japan and authorities have issued a warning of a possible tsunami.
The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3, the US Geological Survey said. That was revised from an earlier estimate of 7.4.
The earthquake hit in the same area as a devastating quake and tsunami in March last year that killed nearly 20,000 people and triggered the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years.
Japan Meteorological Agency had issued a tsunami warning, one notch lower than a tsunami alert, for the Pacific coast of Iwate, Fukushima, Aomori and Ibaraki prefectures.
A 50-centimetre tunami was expected to hit the coast of Iwate at 5:40 pm, Fukushima at 5:50 pm, and Aomori and Ibaraki at 6:00 pm.
Nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power told AFP there were no reports of further damage at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.