A strong earthquake struck on Saturday in northern Japan, rocking buildings even in Tokyo and triggering a tsunami warning for part of the north coast. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
The US Geological Survey assessed resistance at magnitude 7.0 and depth at 54 kilometers (33.5 miles). The quake started just before 6:10 pm
The earthquake was centered off the coast of Miyagi prefecture in the northeast of the country, which was heavily damaged during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 18,000 people dead.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a warning for a tsunami of up to 1 meter in height to Miyagi Prefecture immediately after the earthquake, but suspended it about 90 minutes later. The tsunami may have already hit parts of the Miyagi coast, Japanese public television NHK said.
Authorities said there were no immediate reports of damage.
The strong quake caused a temporary blackout in some areas and suspended bullet train services in the area, NHK said.
The Nuclear Regulatory Authority said no abnormalities were detected at nuclear plants in the region, including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which collapsed in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Akira Wakimoto, a crisis management official in the city of Tome, in Miyagi Prefecture, said he was in his apartment when the earthquake struck and felt his room tremble for a long time.
In a coastal town of Ofunato, Shotaro Suzuki, a hotel employee, said there was a temporary blackout and the elevators stopped briefly, but the power was restored and there were no other problems.
“Our guests looked worried at first, but everyone went back to their rooms and our facilities look good, (asterisk) Suzuki told NHK.
In mid-February, another strong earthquake in the region killed one person and left more than 180 injured, although most of the injuries were minor. The earthquake damaged roads, train lines and thousands of homes. It also caused minor damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
A Japan Meteorological Agency spokesman, Noriko Kamaya, said at a news conference that Saturday’s earthquake is considered to be a replica of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake in 2011. Kamaya asked people to be careful and stay away from the coast due to possible high waves.