Japanese earthquake rattles buildings and nerves A strong
earthquake off northeastern Japan shook buildings and rattled
nerves but triggered only a comparatively small tsunami.
Japanese officials said there were no immediate reports of death
or injury. The magnitude 7.3 quake triggered a one metre high
tsunami which struck land in the Miyagi prefecture. Power
stations and refineries in the area reported normal operations
however. Yesterday’s strong quake shook buildings as far away as
Tokyo. Comparisons were immediately made with last year’s
Fukushima disaster but the wave was much smaller and no serious
damage was reported. Thousands of coastal residents were ordered
to evacuate to higher ground, but the tsunami warning was lifted
two hours after the tremor struck. The March 2011 magnitude 9
earthquake and subsequent 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. Wor