Powerful 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Japan’s Bonin Islands

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Powerful 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Japan’s Bonin Islands

USGS reports that a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in the ocean off Japan’s Bonin Islands at 11:23 GMT on Saturday.

The Japanese island of Chichi-Shima with a population of about 2,000 people is the closest populated area to the quake and is 189 kilometers from the impact point.

There are reports that tremors are being felt as far as Tokyo where buildings rocked. Subway trains in the Japanese capital were briefly halted.

There have been no reports of casualties or damage.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no tsunami threat because the earthquake was located too deep inside the earth

The USGS reported the epicentre was approximately 874 kilometres south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean, while the Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.5 at a depth of 590 kilometres.

Tokyo Electric Power Company said there were no abnormalities at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant following the quake.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a statement saying “a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no threat to Hawaii.”

 

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