Re: Breaking News:7.3-mag quake off Japan northeastern coast sets buildings in Tokyo
Leading up to the mayan prophecy.
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..TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake centred off the
coast of northeastern Japan shook buildings as far away as Tokyo
on Friday and led to a tsunami warning for coastal areas.
The earthquake hit in the same area as a devastating quake
and tsunami in March last year that killed nearly 20,000 people
and triggered the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years.
The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3, the U.S.
Geological Survey said, adding that there was no risk of a
widespread tsunami. There were no immediate reports of death or
injury.
The quake measured a "lower 5" on Japan's scale of one to
seven in Miyagi prefecture, meaning there might be some damage
to roads and houses that are less quake resistant.
The scale measures the amount of shaking and in that sense
gives a better idea of possible damage than the magnitude. The
quake registered a 4 in Tokyo.
A warning of a one-metre tsunami was issued for the coast of
Miyagi, at the centre of the devastation from the March 2011
disaster.
That quake, which measured 9.0, triggered fuel-rod meltdowns
at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing radiation leakage,
contamination of food and water and mass evacuations. Much of
the area is still free of people.
The government declared in December that the disaster was
under control.
Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the
Fukushima nuclear plant, reported no irregularities at its
nuclear plants after the latest quake.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda cancelled campaigning in Tokyo
ahead of a Dec. 16 election and was on his way back to his
office, but there was no immediate plan to hold a special
cabinet meeting.
Public spending on quake-proofing buildings is a big
election issue.
Japanese were posting photos of their TV screens with
tsunami warnings on Facebook, asking each other whether they're
safe, confirming their whereabouts.
"It shook for a long time here in Tokyo, are you guys all
all right?" posted Eriko Hamada, enquiring about the safety of
her friends.
Phone lines were overloaded and it was difficult to contact
residents of Miyagi.
"Owing to the recent earthquake, phone lines are very busy,
please try again later," the phone operator said.
The yen rose against the dollar and the euro on the news,
triggering some safe-haven inflows into the Japanese currency.