Japan hit by strong quake cutting power to millions

A powerful earthquake has been recorded in north-east Japan and is reported to have cut power to two million homes.

The tremor was recorded at magnitude 7.3 and in some areas is said to have reached 6-plus on Japan’s shaking intensity scale, making it too forceful for people to stand.

People living in the Fukushima, Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures have been told to expect aftershocks.

The quake took place at 23:36 (14:36 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.

An advisory for tsunami waves of one metre (3.3ft) has also been issued for parts of the north-east coast.

The US and Japan have advised people on their Pacific coastlines to get away from the shore as a precaution against tsunami waves caused by a volcano eruption in the South Pacific.

Japan has warned of waves as high as three metres, and waves of 1.2 metres hit the south of the country.

The US warned of strong currents and waves, and coastal flooding.

The huge underwater volcanic eruption caused waves of more than a metre to crash into Tonga.

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano was heard across the South Pacific, and eventually as far away as the US.

Many parts of Tonga, whose capital is just 65km (40 miles) south of the eruption, were covered in ash and were experiencing a near-total blackout of power, phone lines and internet services. The extent of any injuries or damage is still unclear.

Social media footage showed water washing through a church and several homes, and witnesses said ash was falling over the capital, Nuku’alofdeos, and traffic jams as people tried to flee low-lying areas by car.

One resident, Mere Taufa, said the eruption had hit as her family was preparing for dinner, and her younger brother had thought bombs were exploding nearby.

“My first instinct was to take cover under the table, I grabbed my little sister, and screamed at my parents and others in the house to do the same,” New Zealand news site, Stuff.co.nz, quoted her as saying.

Ms Taufa said the next thing she knew was water rushing into their home.

“You could just hear screams everywhere, people screaming for safety, for everyone to get to higher ground,” she added. -BBC