7.3 magnitude earthquake hits Japan, tsunami warning issued – report

A strong earthquake jolted Japan’s northeast coast on Wednesday, shaking buildings, leaving parts of Tokyo without power and triggering a tsunami warning.

The tremor registered magnitude 7.3 and as high as a 6-plus on the Japanese shaking intensity scale in some areas — too strong for people to stand, according to public broadcaster NHK.

This was corroborated by the USGS, which also registered it as 7.3, though the EMSC said it was 7.4.

Tokyo Electric Power Company 9501.T said that around 2 million households were without power and that it was checking the condition of reactors at the Fukushima plant, NHK said.

Authorities warned residents in Fukushima, Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures to expect aftershocks.

Fukushima is home to the Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant, a large nuclear power plant where a 2011 earthquake caused a severe disaster. However, the plant, along with its sister plant Fukushima Daini, were never reactivated following the earthquake and have been decommissioned.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government was working to assess the extent of any damage after the tremor.

This is a developing story.