M 7.0 quake hits northeastern Japan

A strong earthquake struck north-eastern Japan at 5:16 PM, local time, on Monday. The Meteorological Agency at one time issued tsunami warnings for the coastal areas of Ibaraki Prefecture.

The agency said the earthquake's magnitude was 7.0, and that its focus was in Fukushima Prefecture at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Intensities of 6 minus on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7 were registered in some areas of Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures, including Furudono Town, Nakajima Village and Hokota City. An intensity of 5 plus was registered in many areas in the southern Tohoku and northern Kanto regions.

The Meteorological Agency lifted the tsunami warnings about fifty minutes later. A tsunami advisory for the coastal areas of neighboring prefectures was also lifted.

Several minor quakes occurred following the major quake at 5:16. The agency is also warning of possible aftershocks with intensities of 6 plus or 6 minus.

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company, says radiation figures at monitoring posts around the plant remain unchanged. The utility firm also says outdoor workers had been ordered to temporarily evacuate.