Earthquake

The refinery fire at Ichihara, Chiba

The earthquake occurred 130 kilometres (81 mi) east of Sendai, Honshu, Japan. Its epicenter was 373 kilometres (232 mi) from Tokyo, according to the United States Geological Survey. A 7.1 magnitude aftershock was reported 40 minutes following the initial quake.[7] At least twenty aftershocks of magnitude 5.5 or greater have occurred since the initial quake.

Initially reported as 7.9 by the USGS, the magnitude was quickly restated as 8.8 and then 8.9.

The effects of the quake included visible smoke rising from a building in the Port of Tokyo. Shinkansen bullet train services in and out of Tokyo were suspended, though no derailments have happened while Narita and Haneda Airport has both suspended operation after the quake, with majority of flights diverted to other airports until further notice.[8] Various train services around Japan were also canceled.

An oil refinery was set ablaze by the quake at Ichihara, Chiba prefecture to the east of Tokyo.[9]

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said that nuclear power plants have shut down, but that no radioactive material leaked,[10] although an abnormality at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, and a fire at Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant was reported by Kyodo News.