Update (1231ET): Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) reports water pumps at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant's spent pool have been halted after a powerful earthquake.
NRA said pumps went offline for spent pools at reactor number one and three.
Pumps for reactor number three were restarted at 12:22 am local time. The regulator said there's "enough time" to restart pumps at reactor number one. It also said fire alarms were triggered at the plant's number five turbine though details are scant.Kyodo News reports radiation levels at the plant are normal. This is the same nuclear power plant that went into a meltdown eleven years ago after a powerful earthquake. The plant has since been halted.
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Update (1219ET): A Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train has "derailed," according to Bloomberg's Gearoid Reidy.
NHK says that JR East checking reports that a Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train has been derailed due to the quake
— Gearoid Reidy リーディー・ガロウド (@GearoidReidy)
Kyodo News says there were a hundred passengers on the bullet train at the time of the derailment. No further details are available.
Bloomberg reports no one is injured among the 96 passengers or the crew.
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Update (1154ET): Residents in the Miyagi Prefecture of Tokyo on the east coast of Honshu island have been told to evacuate after the quake. Tsunami advisories are still active.
Radiation levels at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant are normal. No abnormalities have been reported at other nuclear power plants in the country.
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Reports indicate a magnitude 7.3 earthquake has struck off Fukushima, Japan, as a tsunami advisory has been issued, according to NHK World-Japan. The powerful earthquake was felt across the country, shaking buildings in Tokyo and triggering power outages. Reports indicate waves up to one meter may hit Japan's northern coast.
Where the earthquake struck.
The Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami advisory for coastal areas of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
Reuters' William Mallard said the earthquake was felt around the country. He posted a map that shows some areas in the country recorded magnitude +6.
6+ on the #Japan #earthquake intensity scale is some shaking. We rocked back and forth a good while on first floor in Yokohama. #地震 pic.twitter.com/J3k7nrF401
— William Mallard (@BillyMallard)
Here's a video of what appears to be someone's home office shaking in Tokyo.
Strong M7.3 earthquake rocking Fukushima, this is my desk in Tokyo now - you can hear the whole apartment building shaking. Scary. pic.twitter.com/UiiM7yzmkN
— John Daub (ONLY in JAPAN) (@ONLYinJAPANtv)
Scenes of Tokyo shaking.
BREAKING: Live cam captures shaking as strong earthquake hits Tokyo, Japan pic.twitter.com/UqEZdEKoKy
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper)
Here is the footage inside the subway train.#Tokyo #Japan #earthquake pic.twitter.com/pC8F8hpHXu
— KRoshan (@kroshan4mobile)
Tokyo has gone dark: Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) says two million households are without power after the quake. They also say 700,000 buildings have lost power in the metro area.
見渡す範囲全域停電！
— Koheii🏔️山の非営利法人設立 (@koheii)
at 東京都文京区 pic.twitter.com/BnUIM2lk0N
Earthquake hit Japan just now…
— Kyle Anime Scouter (@kylescouter)
There was a sudden blackout in Tokyo😨 pic.twitter.com/VO8ibeeU9j
🔌🔋 TEPCO (Japan’s biggest power company) now reporting 700,000+ buildings in Tokyo have lost power. And 2M+ buildings in its service area due to the #earthquake
— Kurumi Mori (@rumireports)
東電ＰＧ: 管内全域で約209万8640軒が停電 pic.twitter.com/nl0iENwVUM
Fukushima airport goes dark.
Loud rumblings heard at Fukushima airport #earthquake #Fukushima pic.twitter.com/mNGYfnj329
— bbouy | FROGZILLA to the moon!! (@Bbouy_1)
Video of street poles shaking in Fukushima.
Strong M7.3 earthquake rocking Fukushima.#Earthquake #JapanEarthquake #地震 pic.twitter.com/n1XA9OiGUK
— Pablo Antonio Lpz® (@Palh29)
The area where the quake struck is northern Japan was previously devastated by a 9.0 magnitude quake and tsunami in 2011 that also caused a nuclear disaster.