7.3-magnitude natural disaster strikes off Japan

A powerful quake off the northeast Japanese shore Tuesday sent residents fleeing to higher ground and prompted worries about the Fukushima nuclear power plant destroyed by a tsunami five year ago.

A powerful 6.9-magnitude quake hit northeast Japan today, sparking panic and triggering a tsunami including a one-metre wave that crashed ashore at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The quake’s epicenter was south of the 9.0 magnitude natural disaster that triggered a massive tsunami in March 2011, but Fukushima prefecture is home to a nuclear power plant that was destroyed during that tremor.

Tsunami advisories put in place in the Fukushima area of Japan in the wake of a 7.4-magnitude quake have been lifted.

Sendai, located 70 km or 45 miles north of Fukushima, experienced a tsunami of 1.4 meters or 4.5 feet.

The authority releases advisories to locations for which estimated tsunami heights are calculated as 20 centimeters to one meter, while warnings are issued for places that are likely to be hit by tsunami from more than one meter to three meters.

The devastating 2011 quake created huge waves towering as high as 40 meters high.

The 2011 disaster sent radiation levels across the Pacific Ocean soaring and decimated some fishing grounds off Japan’s coast.

There were no reports of deaths or serious injuries several hours after the quake.

TOKYO (AP) – Northeastern Japan escaped relatively unscathed Tuesday from the strongest quake to strike the region since a devastating and deadly temblor in 2011.

Officials reported a low likelihood of damages for Argentina, but some landslides did interfere with the global highway between Chile and Argentina.

On Tuesday, November 22nd at around 5:59Am local time, a 7.4 magnitude #earthquake was recorded just off the coast of #fukushima, Japan. Either way, it was much smaller than the 9.0 natural disaster in 2011.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s quake is likely to spawn aftershocks of its own, which is why Japan’s Meteorological Association is warning residents to remain vigilant for about a week. Strong tremors for at least 30 seconds were also felt in the national capital, Tokyo which lies at least 100 miles away from the Fukushima prefecture.

A tsunami wave has already been spotted 22 kilometers off the coast of Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture, CNN affiliate NHK reported.

The operators of nuclear power plants reported observing the data in their facilities, including central Fukushima Faiichi, rugged, and Fukushima Daini.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the magnitude at 6.9. Other details were not clear, he said, adding that no other major damage in the city has been reported at the moment.