JAPAN: Japan weather agency warns of aftershocks; nuclear reactors stable after earthquake
Record ID:
466770
JAPAN: Japan weather agency warns of aftershocks; nuclear reactors stable after earthquake
- Title: JAPAN: Japan weather agency warns of aftershocks; nuclear reactors stable after earthquake
- Date: 7th December 2012
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 7, 2012) (REUTERS) STREETS IN DOWNTOWN TOKYO
- Embargoed: 22nd December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA1XGYNGDQJ4TJKTMZ5K1EGVRTI
- Story Text: A strong quake centred off north-eastern Japan shook buildings as far away as Tokyo on Friday (December 7) and triggered a one-metre tsunami in an area devastated by last year's Fukushima disaster, but there were no reports of deaths or serious damage.
The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and thousands of coastal residents were ordered to evacuate to higher ground, but the tsunami warning was lifted two hours after the tremor struck.
The one-metre tsunami hit at Ishinomaki, in Miyagi, at the centre of the devastation from the March 2011 disaster. All Miyagi trains halted operations and Sendai airport, which was flooded by the tsunami last year, closed its runway.
Japan's Meteorological Agency warned of further aftershocks from the quake.
"For the next week, we expect magnitudes of around 6. And since it's far from the shore, we expect it to only be about 4 on the Japanese scale. As such, it's still necessary to remain cautious," said Makoto Saito on the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Last year's quake, which measured 9.0, triggered fuel-rod meltdowns at Fukushima, causing radiation leakage, contamination of food and water and mass evacuations.
Much of the area is still deserted.
While this earthquake wasn't anywhere near as large, the Meteorological agency explained that it erred on the side of caution.
"The earthquake this time wasn't that large, however the Meteorological agency has decided that it is sufficiently large enough in magnitude for us to issue a Tsunami warning and caution," Saito said.
The March 2011 earthquake and following tsunami killed nearly 20,000 people and triggered the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years when the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was destroyed, leaking radiation into the sea and air.
Workers at the plant were ordered to move to safety after Friday's quake. Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant, reported no irregularities at its nuclear plants.
"As for the reactors and the reactor containment, for all reactors one through three while there was a small amount of adjustment but they are currently still being cooled in a stable fashion," said Tepco spokesman Masayuki Ono.
Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes.
Located in the "Ring of Fire" arc of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, the country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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