Tsunami warning issued after powerful quake strikes Japan

The Japan Meteorological Agency put the quake at 7.4 magnitude, while the United States Geological Survey said it was 6.9 magnitude.

The natural disaster gave Tokyo – 150 miles away – a good shake, but was much less powerful than the magnitude-9.0 quake in 2011, and only moderate tsunami waves reached shore.

The U.S. Geological Survey listed the quake as 7.3 magnitude but later decreased it to 6.9 magnitude, according to BBC.

In 2011, the country was rocked by a 9.1 magnitude quake which killed almost 16,000 people.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said Tuesday’s natural disaster was an aftershock of the magnitude 9.0 one which spawned a deadly tsunami in the same region in 2011.

Tuesday’s quake temporarily halted the cooling system at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

TEPCO earlier reported that a water cooling system at a reactor in the separate Fukushima Daini facility had briefly stopped but that it was back up and operating.

There have been no reports of significant damage from the quake or tsunami. Hundreds of people were killed in 2011 after ignoring similar warnings.

“Aftershocks will continue in the region for days to weeks to come”. Short tsunamis have been reported to have hit the shores approximately no higher than 3 feet.

Video on social media from Onahama featured sounds of sirens in response to the warning in effect. As of this writing, the danger has been averted and people were urged to evacuate immediately.

“Please do not think that you are safe”. Coastal residents fled to higher ground and ships steamed out of the harbor in the city of Iwaki, fearing a repeat of 2011 when boats were dashed far inland.

“I felt again that we should not have nuclear power”, he said. He realized what was happening. “It was pretty scary”.

The JMA warned that that there may be more earthquakes of similar magnitude over the next week, reported Kyodo News.

The evacuation appeared to proceed calmly.

He also said the government will be providing accurate information to residents so that they can prepare themselves to face the worse.

Japan, that sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, is said to witness most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

However, Japan’s Meteorological Agency has lifted all tsunami advisories before 1 PM in northeastern and eastern prefectures that were put in place after this quake.

The vast majority of deaths in the 2011 disaster resulted from the tsunami, and NHK told viewers to heed the lessons of that day.