A mere three days after the anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan just one year ago, another earthquake hit the country. On Wednesday evening, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit the northern region of Japan.
The earthquake hit Japan at 170 miles off the east coast at Hokkaido Island. The earthquake was later followed by a 6.1-magnitude tremor in the Chiba Prefecture at around 9 p.m. This region is close to Tokyo, but 600 miles from the location of the first quake. There were no immediate reports of damage, police said.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory to Japanese citizens. The warning noted a potential half-meter wave. A swelling of 20 centimeters (8 inches) was observed in water at the port of Hachinohe in Aomori about an hour after the tremor, reported the Huffington Post. The tsunami advisory was called off shortly after it was issued, reported CNN. Though some residents of the Hokkaido Island were required to evacuate because of a small tsunami, there was no damage.
It was too much, too soon for the Japanese, who suffered immensely just one year ago when the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit, leaving 19,000 people dead or missing. Restoration has not even begun in some coastal communities, which were left wrecked from the wave.
Here are photos from when the 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Wednesday evening.
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook northern Japan Wednesday east of Tokyo, causing a small tsunami on the northern coastline.Japan Meteorological AgencyAn official of the Japan Meteorological Agency points at a screen showing Wednesday's magnitude 6.1 earthquake (bottom L) and recent epicentral distribution of earthquakes in northern Japanese areas during a news conference following the magnitude 6.1 earthquake in Tokyo March 14, 2012. An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 hit east of Tokyo on Wednesday but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no initial reports of damage or troubles at area nuclear plants, the Japan Meteorological Agency and local media said. The earthquake, which caused substantial shaking in Ibaragi and Chiba prefectures east of Tokyo, followed just a few hours after a magnitude 6.8 quake jolted northern Japan.ReutersAn electronic score board shows an earthquake alert after an Asian qualifying soccer match between Japan and Bahrain for the 2012 London Olympics Games at a soccer stadium in Tokyo March 14, 2012. An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 hit east of Tokyo on Wednesday but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no initial reports of damage or troubles at area nuclear plants, the Japan Meteorological Agency and local media said. The alert on the score board reads, "The epicenter: east of Chiba prefectures; the maximum shindo (Japanese scale for measuring earthquakes): Shindo 5 strong; Shindo 3 was observed in Tokyo, no tsunami warning was issued ."ReutersAn official of the Japan Meteorological Agency speaks next to a screen showing an earthquake.ReutersLocal residents return to their homes after a tsunami warning was lifted, from Kamaishi elementary school, which acted as an upland evacuation centre in Kamaishi, Iwate prefecture which was devastated by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in this photo taken by Yomiuri Shimbun March 14, 2012. An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 hit east of Tokyo on Wednesday but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no initial reports of damage or troubles at area nuclear plants, the Japan Meteorological Agency and local media said. The earthquake, which caused substantial shaking in Ibaragi and Chiba prefectures east of Tokyo, followed just a few hours after a magnitude 6.8 quake jolted northern Japan. A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted after that earthquake.ReutersLocal residents evacuate to Kamaishi elementary school, which serves as an upland evacuation centre, after a tsunami warning was issued in Kamaishi, Iwate prefecture, which was devastated by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in this photo taken Yomiuri Shimbun March 14, 2012. An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 hit east of Tokyo on Wednesday but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no initial reports of damage or troubles at area nuclear plants, the Japan Meteorological Agency and local media said. The earthquake, which caused substantial shaking in Ibaragi and Chiba prefectures east of Tokyo, followed just a few hours after a magnitude 6.8 quake jolted northern Japan. A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted after that earthquake.Reuters
