Magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits Japan off Fukushima coast | DW News

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck northeastern Japan, off the coast of Fukushima, on Saturday night. More than 130 people have been reported injured and some 860,000 homes are without power. The Meteorological Agency believes this was an aftershock from the massive earthquake that hit the region in 2011. The initial quake was followed by a series of aftershocks. Back in 2011, a similar earthquake in the same region triggered a tsunami. That caused a severe nuclear accident. The Fukushima nuclear power plant had a meltdown that leaked radiation into the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean. The clean-up from that disaster will likely take another 30 to 40 years. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has dismissed worries that Fukushima’s nuclear plant could suffer a new leak from this latest quake. As residents began cleaning up the aftermath, officials are calling on people to remain on the alert for further aftershocks in the coming weeks. Subscribe: