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Strong earthquake hits Japan as anniversary of Fukushima disaster approaches【Photos, Videos】

SoraNews24 Feb 15, 2021
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Footage shows the strength of the tremor as it hit and the aftermath it left behind.

At 11:08 p.m. on 13 February, a wide swathe of Northern Japan was jolted by a powerful tremor when a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, approximately 220 kilometres (135 miles) north of Tokyo.

Felt as far away as Okayama Prefecture, 700 kilometres south of Tokyo, the tremor came just weeks out from the 10-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on 11 March 2011 in the Tohoku region, where Fukushima is located.

According to the Japan Meteorological Association, yesterday’s tremor was an aftershock from the 2011 earthquake, and residents are being cautioned to expect more earthquakes as a result in the coming week.

▼ The location of the epicentre

【震度・震源速報 2021年2月13日】
23時7分頃、福島県沖を震源とする地震がありました。震源の深さは約60km、地震の規模はM7.1と推定されています。この地震により、日本の沿岸では若干の海面変動があるかもしれませんが、被害の心配はありません。 pic.twitter.com/F0sA6H6XA2

— 特務機関NERV (@UN_NERV) February 13, 2021

No tsunami warning was issued for this earthquake, but many say the jolt was the strongest they’ve felt since 2011.

▼ This footage shows nearby Sendai Airport when the quake occurred last night.

仙台空港停電してますね

地平線付近で発行現象が見られますが、送電線か変電所で断線が発生したのかもしれません pic.twitter.com/sJfR40iQg3

— みっくん@暇人 (@kiha66_08) February 13, 2021

The shaking lasted for roughly 30 seconds, with bright flashes seen on the horizon in affected areas as utility poles ruptured.

https://twitter.com/HashimotoKotoe/status/1360598469379952649

Approximately 900,000 homes lost power nationwide. Power outages plunged areas, like this one in Saitama, into darkness.

埼玉県停電で死んでます pic.twitter.com/tHM16Wvv1F

— ㌣はらぺこーすけ (@MTH_hkgry3) February 13, 2021

Blackouts even occurred as far away as Shizuoka Prefecture, 100 kilometres south of Tokyo.

静岡県御殿場市全域停電です pic.twitter.com/ujYiHjbRyn

— sayyes@ (@sayyes147) February 13, 2021

Thankfully, reports from the crippled Fukushima Power Plant indicated there was no damage to the site.

目視だけですが、大丈夫の様です。

福島原発ライブカメラ。https://t.co/cwo5IIG9EK pic.twitter.com/3bDqo4csgm

— 早川奈穂子🍊Pianist...♪*ﾟ (@naoko_pianist) February 13, 2021

150 people were injured in eight prefectures across the Tohoku and Kanto regions, with the most injuries — 78 — occurring in Fukushima Prefecture. Most injuries were a result of falls or fallen objects, and photos today showed the extent of some of the damage inside homes.

いま家中がこういう状態。 pic.twitter.com/wb8dEyieMU

— 齊藤貴義＠サイバーメガネ@練馬区光が丘と福島県相馬市で働くWebエンジニア@ChatGPT開発受託中 (@miraihack) February 13, 2021

福島県南相馬市小高区の自宅の中が、めちゃくちゃです。 pic.twitter.com/ySKFJFBgsX

— 柳美里 (@yu_miri_0622) February 13, 2021

▼ Videos taken during the quake showed just how intense the shaking was.

https://twitter.com/himei42/status/1360595666775379971

風呂で地震#東日本大震災 #緊急地震速報 pic.twitter.com/OVHAgyCnoy

— エルエル (@LLL_erer) February 13, 2021

本能的に地震の瞬間撮影してた。

福島県郡山市郡山駅前ビル3階 pic.twitter.com/HzVVe9iEVo

— ヤスヤ (@YSY_KD) February 13, 2021

▼ Out on the roads, some drivers pulled over as a precaution.

ドライブしてたら地震きた pic.twitter.com/U6HmzzCh1X

— Ryo Sugitomo (@Ahmet_stak) February 13, 2021

A number of landslides occurred in Fukushima, which left boulders and cracks on roads like this one, located between Dake Onsen and Adatara.

岳温泉から安達太良に行く道路らしい pic.twitter.com/yBOypxC2tN

— VulpeS ∞ ウルペス (@VulpeS404) February 13, 2021

Convenience stores in Fukushima were also affected by the tremor, with products flying off shelves… and not in a good way.

やっと開いてるコンビニ見つけ… pic.twitter.com/36AhfhpHNk

— 牛たん (@gyutankidz) February 13, 2021

https://twitter.com/gurepe_cr/status/1360624283471409153

近所のコンビニこっわ pic.twitter.com/LaoDVH0zc3

— さえ。 (@Alice_aswg08) February 13, 2021

▼ Products may have been strewn all over the floor but convenience stores this 7-Eleven kept on serving customers.

★福島市セブンイレブン
地震にめげずに販売中！ pic.twitter.com/JzzEKcR9b3

— たまちゃん (@blackfukushima) February 13, 2021

▼ Over at Fukushima Train Station, flooding occurred due to a broken water pipe.

JR福島駅。おそらくどこかの水道管が破裂して浸水してる。警報と合わさって異常な雰囲気#福島　 #地震　 #Fukushima pic.twitter.com/p0or4s3tEF

— Ryuzo Tsutsui (@Ryuzo_Tsutsui) February 13, 2021

▼ And there was flooding on roads in the area as well.

https://twitter.com/garagaradon8/status/1360614654171443201

The extent of the late-night damage became more apparent after sunrise the next day, when collapsed structures and broken rail lines could be seen.

地震の被害はこんな感じかな pic.twitter.com/qLBDSYObBw

— シド (@BrzCcd) February 14, 2021

福島トンネル福島方の架線柱も倒れてるな… pic.twitter.com/8ACoDx2FRH

— れいこん (@Series_E3) February 14, 2021

East Japan Railway Company confirmed significant structural damage on lines between Shin-Shirakawa and Furukawa used by the Tohoku Shinkansen. They estimate it will take about 10 days to resume operation of all lines.

2月13日に発生した福島県沖地震により、東北新幹線の新白河～古川間の設備に大きな被害が確認されました。全線運転再開には概ね10日前後、要する見込みです。なお全線運転再開の時期が前後する場合もあります。今後の運行情報にご注意ください。16時現在 pic.twitter.com/V7vLtGKsaX

— JR東日本【新幹線】運行情報 (公式) (@JRE_Super_Exp) February 14, 2021

Stations in the area also reported damage, with a collapsed ceiling at Funaoka Station in Miyagi Prefecture…

https://twitter.com/vyFBWrMYOiHugWD/status/1360814386068119553

▼ And a damaged walkway at Fukushima’s Iwaki Station.

https://twitter.com/r_69xxx/status/1360598033491054597

A number of shrines also reported damage, as heavy stone monuments toppled at Soma City in Fukushima.

https://twitter.com/KUNIHISA_A/status/1360768972711333889

At Fukushima Inari Shrine, in Miyamachi City, the upper part of a five-metre-high stone lantern collapsed during the strong tremor, falling onto a passenger car, which was unoccupied at the time.

https://twitter.com/picturway81/status/1360796066858237957

福島稲荷神社 pic.twitter.com/N7UQyOgQ5c

— 鈴木博喜 (「民の声新聞」発行人) (@s_hiroki13) February 14, 2021

At least 4,000 homes in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures were without water for an extended period, so the Ministry of Defence sent out trucks today to help with water distribution.

昨夜、福島県沖で発生した地震により、福島県相馬郡新地町に断水被害が発生したため、本日９時、福島県知事から第４４普通科連隊長（福島駐屯地）に対し災害派遣要請（給水支援）があり、#第４４普通科連隊が新地町役場、福田小学校等において活動を開始しました。 pic.twitter.com/7qE0aBWgar

— 防衛省・自衛隊（災害対策） (@ModJapan_saigai) February 14, 2021

In the wake of last night’s earthquake, a number of tremors have been felt in the area since, with the strongest measuring 5.2 in magnitude occurring this afternoon.

【地震情報 2021年2月14日】
16時31分頃、福島県沖を震源とする地震がありました。震源の深さは約50km、地震の規模はM5.2、最大震度4を福島県で観測しています。この地震による津波の心配はありません。 pic.twitter.com/Fwza9kUw4G

— 特務機関NERV (@UN_NERV) February 14, 2021

Residents are on alert for more tremors, which are expected to come this week, but experts say they’re unlikely to be stronger than the one felt last night. That’s something to be thankful for in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, especially when so many will be recalling the tragic events of 2011 as the ten-year anniversary approaches.

Sources: NHK (1, 2, 3), TV Asahi, Hachima Kiko (1, 2, 3, 4)
Featured image: Pakutaso
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