At a Glance
- The earthquake was rated 6.8 magnitude.
- It was centered off Miyagi prefecture.
A strong earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan Saturday, rattling buildings in Tokyo and leaving at least three people injured.
The quake was rated at 6.8 magnitude by the U.S. Geological Survey. It was centered about 23 miles off the coast of Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture.
There was no threat of tsunami.
People 240 miles to the south in Tokyo reported feeling shaking, according to the USGS.
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Two people were injured in Miyagi and another in the neighboring prefecture of Fukushima, The Associated Press reported citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening and there were no reports of major damage.
“We are aware of the news but still collecting information,” Kazuto Takeda, a prefecture disaster management official, said according to the Japan Times.
A Meteorological Agency official warned that strong aftershocks could hit the region, and upcoming bad weather could trigger landslides.
Some expressways and train routes were suspended, and people were seen evacuating a train station.
“I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid as there have been many earthquakes recently," university student Asuka Koike, who was on her way to her hometown in Fukushima Prefecture, told the Japan Times.
Two other earthquakes that hit the region recently, one in February and one in March, were said to be aftershocks of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. Miyagi prefecture sustained heavy damage in the devastating 9.1 magnitude quake and tsunami that left more than 18,000 people dead and caused a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
March 11 marked the 10th anniversary of the disaster.
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