A powerful earthquake that hit Japan on Saturday was an aftershock of the devastating 9.0 magnitude quake that struck the same area almost 10 years ago, according to the National Meteorological Agency.
The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1 and hit the country's east coast, Fukushima, at 11.07 p.m. (local time) Saturday. The epicenter hit about 74 kilometers northeast of Namie. The earthquake measured about 58 kilometers in depth. No tsunami warning was issued.
This quake took place in the same area as the 2011 earthquake that caused the country's worst nuclear disaster on record, when three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant melted down, releasing radioactive materials into the air. More than 20,000 people died or went missing in the 2011 quake and tsunami, while many more lost their homes. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from the area. Authorities have spent the past ten years cleaning up the area- a massive effort that is said to take another few decades to complete.
Early Sunday morning, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reassured the public that "no abnormalities" have been reported at any of the nuclear plants in the region after Saturday's quake. Speaking to reporters, Suga said the damage is still being assessed and asked residents in the affected area to stay indoors and be prepared for aftershocks. The earthquake triggered landslides and uprooted sections of a major expressway, affecting both prefectures. Embankments along the road collapsed, covering the road and burying guardrails in mud.
About 850,000 households in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, which include greater Tokyo, lost power after the quake. Power is now being restored, gradually. At least 48 injuries were reported in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, according to state broadcaster NHK, but there were no major casualties. Despite these ongoing efforts, Japan is scheduled to host the Olympic Games this year and the torch relay is scheduled to start its journey from Fukushima on March 25, 2021- which is a symbol of recovery and rebuilding in the area. However, Saturday's earthquake is a reminder that the events are 2011 are not entirely behind the Fukushima region.
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