Tokyo: A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit east Japan on Wednesday night, rattling the capital Tokyo and prompting a tsunami warning for parts of the northeast coast, media reports quoting Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The quake had an epicentre off the coast of the Fukushima region at a depth of 60 kilometres (37 miles).
Shortly after the earthquake hit at 11:36 pm (1436 GMT), an advisory for tsunami waves of one metre was issued for parts of the coast.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, but at least two million households were left without power including many in Tokyo.
“At around 11:36 p.m. on March 16, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake occurred with its epicenter off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. We are currently confirming the impact of this earthquake on our facilities,” TEPCO said in a tweet.
At around 11:36 p.m. on March 16, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake occurred with its epicenter off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture.
We are currently confirming the impact of this earthquake on our facilities.— TEPCO (@TEPCO_English) March 16, 2022
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the government was gathering information on the situation.
“We will commit ourselves to gathering information, do our best to rescue those affected by the (quake) and communicate information appropriately,” he was quoted as saying by AFP.
Multiple aftershocks hit the region through the night and Thursday morning. Early reports said the damage was minimal. Japan has strict building codes to safeguard against the devastation from earthquakes. Officials also said that nuclear plants seemed stable.
“We’re doing our best to assess the extent of the damage,” government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters overnight. “Major aftershocks often happen a couple of days after the first quake, so please stay away from any collapsed buildings… and other high-risk places.”
Also read: Natural disasters: Re-evaluating the discourse
Agencies
