Publications
Partners
Japan's meteorological agency lifted a tsunami advisory around an hour after a strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the country's northeastern coast on Saturday, causing no immediate damage or injuries.
The quake hit at 18:09 (09:09 GMT) in Pacific waters off Miyagi region with a depth of 60 kilometres, the JMA said, issuing an advisory for tsunami waves of around one metre.
Thousands of households received evacuation warnings over the tsunami alert, which was lifted around 19:30 (10:30 GMT), prompting municipalities to also end the evacuation measures.
Local utilities and the nation's nuclear authority said the region's nuclear plants did not show any abnormalities after the latest quake, although local railway firms suspended services, including the high-speed shinkansen bullet trains.
VIDEO: NTV News cameras capture magnitude-7.0 earthquake that rocked Miyagi Prefecture, Japan earlier today; includes footage from NTV's newsroom during earthquake. [NTV] pic.twitter.com/dfoVylb1NI
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) March 20, 2021
VIDEO: NHK street cameras captured the magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Japan earlier this morning. A tsunami warning has been issued for Miyagi Prefecture. [NHK] pic.twitter.com/nHIDc3SpdK
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) March 20, 2021
The US Geological Service put the strength of the quake at 7.0-magnitude.
The quake and tsunami advisory come not long after Japan marked 10 years since the catastrophic 9.0-magnitude earthquake of March 11, 2011, that triggered a killer tsunami and the Fukushima meltdown.The so-called triple disaster affected Japan's northeast, including Miyagi.
Some residents of coastal communities said they had fled to higher ground after the advisory was issued Saturday evening.
"I recalled that day 10 years ago," a man in Ishinomaki city told national broadcaster NHK as he fled to a park on a hill.
He said:
There were no immediate reports of damage, according to Takashi Yokota, an official of Miyagi prefecture's disaster management office.
"We have not received any immediate report of damage or injuries following the earthquake and the tsunami advisory. But we are still collecting information," he told AFP.
Last month, the region was also shaken by another strong quake that injured dozens. Meteorologists said it was an aftershock of the 2011 quake.
Japan sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
The country is regularly hit by quakes and has strict construction regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong tremors.
