Huge Magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocks Fukushima and Tokyo

• Strong Magnitude 7+ earthquake strikes off Japan’s east coast
• Magnitude 7 earthquake in Japan indicates a violent, heavy earthquake
• The earthquake led to power outages in the affected regions

Just weeks before the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster anniversary, powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan’s Fukushima prefecture on Saturday, violently shaking cities on the eastern seaboard and prompting fears of a tsunami.

Several seismological agencies have put the magnitude of the quake, which hit east of Japan’s largest island of Honshu, at 7.0 or higher.

It was also registered as the highest possible on the Japan Meteorological Agency Seismic Intensity Scale. A 7 quake in Japan indicates a violent, heavy earthquake that can shake people and objects around, destroy buildings, and crack the ground.

The earthquake prompted fears of a potential tsunami, but the threat was soon called off.

The earthquake led to power outages in the affected regions, and videos showed intense shaking inside homes, with furniture rattling and possessions flying off surfaces. A 4.9-magnitude aftershock was recorded half an hour after the quake initially hit.

It also sparked fears of a repeat of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, when a severe earthquake generated a tsunami and the worst nuclear incident since Soviet Chernobyl in 1986. March 11 marks the 10th anniversary of the Fukushima disaster.

No issues were reportedly found at the Fukushima nuclear power plant after Saturday’s quake, the Kyodo news agency reported.