Just 3 days after the powerful earthquake swarm off the Loyalty Islands, a powerful M7.1 earthquake jolted Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in the Tohoku region at 11:08 p.m. local time (3:08 p.m. UTC) on February 13, 2021.
The epicenter of the quake was off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, near where three nuclear reactors melted down after a quake and tsunami nearly 10 years ago.
The Japanese weather service reported the quake’s preliminary magnitude as 7.1, but said there was no danger of a tsunami.
Coming a little less than a month before the 10th anniversary of what is known as the Great East Japan earthquake, the quake rattled the greater Tokyo area for about 30 seconds starting at 11:08 p.m. and was felt powerfully in Fukushima and Sendai.
No serious damage was immediately reported, but the authorities warned residents to brace for aftershocks in the coming days.
Anyway, there was an earthquake in Japan. Not sure which location but this is obviously massive. I pray for everyone’s safety. Let’s be more understanding!pic.twitter.com/dB3Jr8mUMl
— ً (@SE4LEN4) February 13, 2021
The quake struck as Tokyo and nine other large prefectures are under a state of emergency to contain the coronavirus. Residents are encouraged to work from home and avoid going out at night, while restaurants and bars are closed at 8 each night.
Japan is also preparing to host the summer Olympics, postponed by a year from 2020. The Games are scheduled to open on July 23.
Whoa a little shaking in Japan tonight. #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/Fg5vLATU73
— ダリル・ワートン-リグビー Darryl Wharton-Rigby (@whartonrigby) February 13, 2021
Authorities mobilize in response.
The prime minister’s office immediately set up a crisis management office and the Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, which operates the nuclear plants, said it was checking its monitoring posts in Fukushima to ensure that there were no radiation leaks.
In Minami Soma, one of the Fukushima villages evacuated after the nuclear disaster in 2011, NHK, the public broadcaster, reported that severe horizontal shaking lasted for about 30 seconds.
Level 6 EARTHQUAKE in Japan. Was in Fukushima but still shook my home well ! pic.twitter.com/rZSJYiOA5K
— Mr Japan ?? (@YLaylee) February 13, 2021
Tepco was checking all nuclear power plants in the affected region. According to NHK, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant had suffered no damage.
#地震のせい
— TXT_soobinnie (@apa_ajadeh_) February 13, 2021
Japan faced earthquake magnitude 7.1 level
Please stay safe.
pic.twitter.com/7HhgLlHriq
According to Katsunobu Kato, chief cabinet secretary to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, about 860,000 households were left without power across the affected areas. Several bullet train lines have been suspended.
Today’s earthquake in Japan. A magnitude 7.1 just east of Fukushima.
— World of Engineering (@engineers_feed) February 13, 2021
pic.twitter.com/UWm8kOhWk9
What the hours and days ahead may hold.
Speaking on NHK, Takashi Furumura, a professor at the Earthquake Research Institute at the University of Tokyo, warned that a quake of this size could be followed within two or three days by another of similar scale.
I live 300km far away from Fukushima and felt the earthquake a few minutes ago. Hope everyone safe in Japan #japan #earthquake pic.twitter.com/0yMMkoasOb
— Eee (@raina248) February 13, 2021
He said the epicenter of Saturday night’s quake was off the coast of Fukushima, likely about 37 miles below the sea.
Now subscribe to this blog to get more amazing news curated just for you right in your inbox on a daily basis (here an example of our new newsletter).
You can also follow us on Facebook and/ or Twitter. And, by the way you can also make a donation through Paypal. Thank you!
Report from Japanese people:
https://www.oann.com/japan-residents-speak-on-magnitude-7-3-earthquake/
Why cannot a 9 hit the center of that island and Finnish them off. It would do the world a lot of good.
Godzilla time.
See why I’m not scared by a virus.