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Strong quake triggers small tsunami along Japan’s northeastern coast

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Tsunami waves as high as one meter have struck Japan’s northeastern coast after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the area. 

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake hit Honshu at 5:59 on Tuesday morning local time (20:59 GMT).

At least a dozen people were reported to have sustained injuries. The tremor was felt in Tokyo which is located about 240 kilometers south of the epicenter.

The situation specifically caused alarm in Fukushima where the Daiichi nuclear power plant is located. The plant was hit by one of the world’s worst nuclear incidents five years ago.

After the quake, people residing in areas along the northeastern coast were urged to evacuate to high grounds immediately. Four hours later, the tsunami warning was lifted.

A traffic jam is seen as people evacuate after tsunami advisories were issued following an earthquake, in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo November 22, 2016. (Via Reuters)

The quake struck at a depth of 11.4 kilometers.

The tsunami temporarily halted the cooling system of a nuclear reactor at the Fukushima plant, but it was quickly restored. Other than that, there were no abnormalities at the plant.

On March 11, 2011, a huge tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake, wreaked havoc on the Fukushima nuclear plant’s cooling systems that led to three meltdowns and the release of vast amounts of radiation into the surrounding environment. As many as 18,000 people died in the double disaster.

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