7.3-magnitude quake hits Japan, causes tsunami

[Slack lines]

TOKYO: Small tsunami waves reached the Pacific coast of northern Japan on Sunday after a major quake hit the region heavily damaged by the March earthquake and tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

 

The port towns of Soma and Ofunato saw 10-centimeter tsunami waves triggered by the 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck off the main island of Honshu at 9:57 a.m. (8:57 a.m. in Manila), the agency said.

 

No damage was reported from the tsunami and quake, which was strong enough to sway skyscrapers in Tokyo, located some 400 kilo-meters from the epicenter.

 

The Japanese agency and the United States Geological Survey originally estimated the quake’s magnitude at 7.1, hitting the same general area as the 9.0-magnitude quake of March 11 which triggered a massive tsunami.

 

While Japan upgraded the quake to 7.3, the US agency lowered it to 7.0, centered 212km east of Sendai City in Miyagi prefecture, at a depth of 34.9km.

 

The Japanese agency lifted the tsunami advisory at 11:45 a.m.

 

“Changes in sea level may occur [in] the next few hours. Please use caution when conducting activities near the ocean, such as swimming and surf fishing,” a Japanese weather agency official said during a news briefing.

 

Television footage of Ofunato and Soma did not show any visible sign of the tsunami, with the water surface seemingly calm and flat.

 

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco) said that the latest quake did not cause fresh problems at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi (No. 1) nuclear plant; and the nearby Fukushima Daini (No. 2) plant.

 

“We have received reports that there has been no significant impact at the Fukushima Daiichi and the Fukushima Daini nuclear plants,” a Tepco spokesman said during a news conference.

 

Cooling of crippled reactors at Fukushima Daiichi continued, although the company told work crews near the water to seek higher ground during the tsunami advisory.

 

The Japanese weather agency originally expected a small tsunami of up to 50 centimeters along the affected region.

 

Communities along the Pacific coast issued warnings and advisories for local residents to seek higher ground or to leave areas near the water.

 

The devastating March 11 and tsunami left about 22,000 people dead or missing and triggered an atomic crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

manilatimes.net