The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) launched a tsunami alert this Saturday, after a strong earthquake, of magnitude 7.2, registered in the northeast coast of the country.
The earthquake occurred at 6:09 p.m. local time (09:09 GMT) in Pacific waters, in the Miyagi region, at a depth of 60 kilometers, according to the JMA, which warned of the risk of a tsunami, with waves of one meter.
No damage has been reported at Miyagi at the moment and local authorities are inspecting the situation at nuclear power plants in the region, according to local media.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake registered had a magnitude of 7.0.
This earthquake and tsunami warning come days after Japan commemorated the 10th anniversary of a catastrophic 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011, which generated a devastating tsunami and nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant.
This catastrophe affected northeast Japan, including Miyagi. Some residents of coastal communities said they had fled to higher ground after the warning late Saturday.
“Due to the experience of that day [2011], I moved quickly. My heart is pounding,” a man from the city of Ishinomaki told NHK as he fled to a park on a hill.
The Nuclear Radiation Authority said there were no reports of abnormality at nuclear facilities in the area.
Japan is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most seismically active areas on the planet, but its construction standards are strict so that buildings can withstand strong earthquakes.