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Tsunami warning issued after powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits Japan

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake struck more than 35 miles below the sea off the coast of Fukushima.

Wednesday 16 March 2022 17:24, UK

Furniture and electrical appliance are scattered at an apartment in Fukushima, northern Japan Wednesday, March 16, 2022, following an earthquake. A powerful earthquake shook off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami advisory.(Kyodo News via AP) PIC:AP
Image: Furniture and other items scattered at an apartment in Fukushima following the quake. Pic: AP
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A powerful聽earthquake聽has hit northern Japan, triggering a tsunami warning and plunging more than two million homes in Tokyo into darkness.

The tremor registered a magnitude of 7.3, according to public broadcaster NHK.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake struck 60km (36 miles) below the sea off the coast of Fukushima at 11.36pm local time.

Products are scattered at a convenience store in Fukushima, northern Japan Wednesday, March 16, 2022, following an earthquake. A powerful earthquake shook off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami advisory. (Kyodo News via AP) PIC:AP .................
Image: Goods were thrown across a store in Fukushima when the earthquake struck. Pic: AP

It is the same region which was devastated by a magnitude 9.0 quake in March 2011, causing a tsunami which led to an accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant when the cooling systems failed.

The quake shook large parts of eastern Japan, including the capital of Tokyo, where buildings swayed violently. There have not yet been any reports of casualties.

There have been widespread power outages in Tokyo, which is situated around 150 miles away from Fukushima.

Walls are fallen at an apartment in Fukushima, northern Japan Thursday, March 17, 2022, following an earthquake. A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday evening, triggering a tsunami advisory and plunging more than 2 million homes in the Tokyo area into darkness. (Kyodo News via AP) Pic:AP
Image: Damage in Fukushima as officials continued to warn people of further aftershocks. Pic: AP
Houses and buildings are seen in an electric stoppage at the area after an earthquake at Toshima ward in Tokyo, Japan March 17, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato
Image: Large parts of Tokyo were thrown into darkness by the quake

Tokyo Electric Power Company said that around two million households were without power and that it was also checking the condition of reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which it operates.

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Authorities had warned residents in Fukushima, Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures to expect aftershocks.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government was assessing the extent of any damage following the tremor.

An employee clears products fallen from shelves at a convenience store in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, northern Japan Wednesday, March 16, 2022, following an earthquake. A powerful earthquake shook off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami advisory. (Kyodo News via AP) Pic:AP
Image: An employee at a store in Iwaki, Fukushima, clears up following the quake. Pic: AP

The meteorological agency issued a tsunami advisory for a sea surge of up to one metre in parts of Miyagi and Fukushima.

NHK said the tsunami might have reached some areas already.

Japan's Air Self-Defence Force said it dispatched fighter jets from the Hyakuri base in Ibaraki prefecture, just south of Fukushima, to gather more information on possible damage.

East Japan Railway said most of its train services were suspended for safety checks.

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