Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A powerful quake of magnitude 7.2 struck this morning off the coast of northeastern Japan. The National Weather Agency has issued a tsunami warning, but so far there have been no signs of major damage or strong waves.
The quake occurred at 11.45 (local time) at a depth of 10 km, the epicentre is located 160 km east of the oshiki peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture. The violent quake rocked the buildings as far as Tokyo, which is over 400 km away.
The weather agency has launched a tsunami warning for the pacific area of Honshu island. Thirty minutes later a wave of 60 cm swept into the port of Ofunato (Iwate prefecture). Witnesses said that although the quake lasted serveral seconds, it did not cause damages. Even nuclear power plants that are in the region remained intact. The movement of high-speed trains stopped during the quake, but resumed soon after.
Japan is situated on the so-called "Ring of Fire" (see photo CBC), an arc of volcanic areas along the Pacific coast, where it produces 90% of earthquakes on the planet.