4 Killed, Dozens Injured After 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts North Japan Coast

A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on the evening of Wednesday, 16 March, triggering a tsunami advisory.

(Photo: iStock)

Four people were killed and over 100 injured injured after a powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday evening, 16 March, triggering a tsunami advisory, reported AFP. One person was killed in the Fukushima region and a second in neighbouring Miyagi, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake struck 60 kilometres (36 miles) below the sea, at 23:36 JST. An advisory for tsunami waves of one metre was issued for parts of the north-east coast at 11:39 JST.

Multiple smaller aftershocks continued to hit the region throughout the night and on Thursday, 17 March, morning.

"We're doing our best to assess the extent of the damage," government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said.

"Major aftershocks often happen a couple of days after the first quake, so please stay away from any collapsed buildings... and other high-risk places," he added.

Around 2 million homes lost power after the earthquake, as per the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).

The TEPCO also said in a tweet that it was checking operations of its equipment at the Fukushima nuclear plant that went into meltdown in 2011, when a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami had hit the eastern coast of the nation.

Soon after, the Japan nuclear authority said that no abnormalities were observed at the stricken Fukushima plant after quake.

Japan is located on the 'Ring of Fire' in the Pacific Ocean, a horseshoe-shaped belt that witnesses frequent volcanic eruptions and seismic activity.

Several people took to Twitter to share photos and videos of the damage caused by the earthquake.