The meteorological agency of Japan issued a tsunami warning after strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake off the northeastern coast of Japan on Saturday. However, there are no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.
The quake hit in the Pacific off Miyagi region with a depth of 60 kilometers, the agency said, issuing an advisory for tsunami waves of around one meter.
Local utilities were inspecting the status of the region’s nuclear plants, and train service was suspended, including shinkansen bullet trains.
Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey put the strength of the quake at 7 on Richter Scale.
Japan has recently observed 10th anniversary of killer quake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.
Some residents of coastal areas said they had fled to higher ground after the advisory was issued Saturday evening.
“I recalled that day 10 years ago,” a man in Ishinomaki city told broadcaster NHK as he fled to a park on a hill.
“Because of our experience of that day, I moved quickly. My heart is pounding hard,” he said.
There were no reports of damage. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said there had been no reports of abnormality at the area’s nuclear facilities, including the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant, Onagawa nuclear plant and various smaller facilities and experimental nuclear reactors.
Last month, the region was also shaken by another strong quake that injured dozens.
Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
The country is regularly hit by quakes and has strict construction regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong tremors.
