Tsunami warning lifted after quake in Japan's northeast
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E-mail Xinhua, December 7, 2012
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| Photo taken on Dec. 7, 2012 shows the scene of Japan's Tokyo after an earthquake. A 7.3-magnitude earthquake jolted off the east coast of Honshu of Japan, resulting in a tsunami warning for the country's northeastern coastal areas, according to Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). [Ma Ping/Xinhua] |
A tsunami warnings for Japan's northeastern coastal areas has been lifted following a 7.3- magnitude earthquake jolted off the east coast of Honshu, local press reported.
The warning for the northeastern Miyagi Prefecture were lifted at 7:20 local time by Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.
The one-metre tsunami reached Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture at 6:02 p.m., the centre of the devastation from the March 2011 disaster.
At least five people were injured in the quake-hit Miyagi Prefecture, it said.
Residents of the cities of Sendai, Iwanuma and Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture and Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture were urged to evacuate while the tsunami alert remained.
The quake occurred at 5:18 p.m. local time (08:18:24 GMT). The epicenter was initially determined at 37.8 degrees north latitude, 144.2 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 km, according to the JMA.
The quake measured lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Iwate, Miyagi, Aomori, Ibaraki and Tochigi Prefecture, reported the agency.
The tremor, which shook buildings as far away as Tokyo, was followed by a 6.2-magnitude aftershock off the east coast of Honshu at 08:31:14 GMT, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities have been detected at nuclear plants in the northeast, including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant which was severely damaged in March 2011 earthquake and following tsunami.
Sendai airport in Miyagi grounded all flights while Narita airport near Tokyo closed runways briefly.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda canceled his campaign speech in Tokyo and returned to his office to deal with the emergency.
Some 20,000 people were killed in the March 2011 earthquake which also sparked the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years when the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant was ruined.
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