TOKYO – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan on Saturday, shaking buildings even in Tokyo and triggering a tsunami warning for part of the north coast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement that it occurred at 6:09 pm local time (6:09 am ET), near Miyagi Prefecture, which was heavily damaged during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
No damage was reported, according to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK and there were no initial reports of injuries.
However, the US Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami warning.
“Based on the earthquake’s preliminary parameters, dangerous tsunami waves are possible on coasts located 300 km (186 miles) from the earthquake’s epicenter,” the statement said.
After initially issuing a tsunami warning to Myagi Prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency subsequently rescinded it.
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Japan’s Nuclear Regulatory Authority also said in a post on its website that no anomalies were found in three nearby nuclear reactors, including the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear plants.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the most seismically active areas in the world, and the country is responsible for about 20% of world earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
Last month, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the coast near Fukushima Prefecture, which was the site of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters for almost a decade.
Fukushima was hit by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake in 2011 – the strongest in Japan’s history. A tsunami soon followed, leaving more than 15,000 dead and 2,500 still missing.
In a sign of rebirth, the area was to receive parts of the Summer Olympics scheduled to take place in Japan in 2020. However, the games were postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Arata Yamamoto reported from Tokyo and Adela Suliman from London.
Reuters contributed to this report.
