An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan’s northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, and no injuries were immediately reported. Japan’s government has set up an emergency team to gather information on the quake in the Tohoku region and is ready for disaster relief operations.
Earthquake Details
The epicentre of the quake, which was about 50 km deep, was off the coast of Iwate prefecture, and no tsunami damage was expected, except for slight sea level changes, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
On the Japanese 0-7 intensity scale, the hardest-hit area was Aomori prefecture at 6-plus, a level defined as making it impossible to remain standing or to move without crawling.
Tohoku Electric Power said no irregularities were found at its Onagawa and idled Higashidori nuclear power plants. Nearby nuclear facilities of Tokyo Electric Power and other companies saw no abnormalities, the Nuclear Regulation Authority said.
East Japan Railway said it has halted some trains, including Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed rail services, after the quake. Expressway routes in Aomori were shut for inspections.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
