Powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake jolts Fukushima area
INA – SOURCES
A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake, which measured a strong 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale — the second-highest level — jolted Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in the Tohoku region late Saturday night.
The quake, which also felt in Tokyo, where it registered a 4 on the Japanese scale, struck around 11:08 p.m., according to the Meteorological Agency. A tsunami warning was not issued.
As a precaution, however, those near coastal areas were advised to move to higher ground as aftershocks could continue.
The quake registered a strong 6 in the southern part of Miyagi, and the Nakadori central and Hamadori coastal regions of Fukushima, the agency said.
The Hamadori region is home to the quake- and tsunami-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. There were no reports of abnormalities at the facility, public broadcaster NHK said.
The government was setting up a task force to examine the quake.