Four people were killed when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan. The low-risk advisory was lifted by Thursday morning after a small wave reached shore.
The region in northern Japan was devastated by a deadly 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in 2004, which caused nuclear reactor meltdowns and made some parts uninhabitable.
The cause of four people's deaths is being investigated, as 97 others were injured in the earthquake, according to the Prime Minister. A man in his 60s died after falling from the second floor of his house while trying to leave, and a man in his 70s had a heart attack while trying to leave.
The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted its low-risk advisory for a wave along the coast. The waves of 30 centimeters (11 inches) reached the shore in Ishinomaki, which is northeast of Tokyo.
The magnitude of the earthquake was upgraded to 7.4 from the initial 7.3, and the depth was increased from 60 kilometers to 35 miles.
The NHK footage showed broken walls falling to the ground and shards of windows scattered on the street near the main train station in the inland prefectural capital of Fukushima city. The roads were cracked and the water poured out.
The furniture and appliances were smashed to the floor. Cosmetics and other items fell from the shelves at convenience stores. Near Tokyo, an electric pole nearly fell.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company said that workers found no problems at the site, which is being dismantled.
There was a fire alarm at the turbine building of the No. 5 reactor, but it was not a fire. The water pumps for the spent fuel cooling pool at two of the four reactor were briefly stopped. The Daini, which was damaged in the 2011 earthquake, is set to be deconsolidated.
More than 2.2 million homes were temporarily without electricity in 14 prefectures, including the Tokyo region, but power was restored at most places by the morning.
The buildings in Tokyo swayed violently when the earthquake shook eastern Japan.
Most of the train services were suspended for safety checks. Some local trains resumed service.
Many people formed long lines outside of major stations while waiting for trains to resume operation, but trains in Tokyo were running normally Thursday morning.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that nobody was injured when the Tohoku Shinkansen train partially derailed.
He told reporters that the government was assessing the damage and would do its best to help.
Please first take action to save your life.
Hirokazu Matsuno said authorities were scrambling to assess damage.
He urged people in the affected areas to be careful.
Yuri Kageyama is an Associated Press writer.
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