At least four people have been killed and dozens injured after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Japan, shortly before midnight on Wednesday.
The powerful quake left hundreds of thousands of Japanese households without power for hours, in large parts of eastern Japan including in the capital Tokyo.
Magnitude of the earthquake
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Fukushima region at a depth of 60km just before midnight on Wednesday, shaking violently buildings some 170 miles away in the capital. A 5.6 magnitude aftershock also hit the affected areas about an hour later shortly before 1 am Thursday.
The powerful quake:
- Killed four people and injured at least 94
- Severed key transportation links to the region
- One major highway to the region was closed for safety checks
- Shinkansen bullet train service suspended indefinitely
- Power supply to more than two million Japanese households, including in capital, remained cut for more than 10 hours
The power to the capital had been fully restored by the early hours of Thursday but people elsewhere are still in the darkness.
Quake triggered small tsunamis waves
The earthquake triggered two small tsunamis waves of about 20 centimeters in Sendai and the Port of Ishinomaki, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Around 39,000 people have already been warned to evacuate the Miyagi Prefecture as the tsunami threat wanes.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported the water pumps at two reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant’s spent pool were halted.
Japanese government on high alert
Even though the earlier tsunami warning for the northeast coast was lifted later on Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government would remain on high alert for the next 48 to 72 hours as there is a possibility of further strong jolts.
The Met agency has warned that another earthquake of similar magnitude and intensity could hit the country within the next week.