Japan’s earthquake injures 146 persons, causes temporary power outages

*The Japan’s earthquake has left at least 146 people injured but no deaths, and caused   momentary power outages across the region though no nuclear power plants affected

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Rescue efforts are underway in northern Japan after an earthquake of magnitude-7.3 struck off Fukushima.

The disaster has left no less than 146 persons injured but no deaths, and has induced momentary power outages for consumers across the region, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Energy companies witnessed no damage to nuclear power units in the region, report stated.

About 13 thermal power plants in Fukushima and Miyagi stayed offline after the earthquake, with some expected to restart Sunday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency disclosed the Saturday-night earthquake hit the Tohoku region, 220 kilometers (135 miles) north of Tokyo.

The earthquake occurred less than a month before the 10th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that led to a meltdown at three nuclear units of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant and left about 19,000 people dead or missing.

Tokyo Electric Power Company   Photo: Mainichi.Jp 

NHK citing Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported that there was a minor overflow of water from the pool that stores used nuclear fuels at the Fukushima nuclear plants, but no uncontrolled radiation activities were seen.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference on Sunday that no incidents were reported from the nuclear power plants.

More than 830,000 households in the Tohoku and Kanto regions experienced power outages, but supply resumed in most areas by Sunday morning.

NTT Docomo Inc. also said some of its service areas in Tohoku were affected, but operations had returned to normal as of Sunday.

Some areas in Fukushima are still without water supply, a local newspaper reported.

Following the incident, ENEOS Holdings Inc. stated it had temporarily suspended operations at the Miyagi refinery, while its Kanagawa unit was partially affected.

JFE Holdings Inc.’s Miyagi steel factory was closed as a precaution, according to the company, while Nippon Steel Corp. said all of its production facilities were operating as normal.

East Japan Railway Co. disclosed part of its high-speed bullet and local train services would remain suspended until Monday due to damage to electrical lines.

The Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train line would need 10 days to resume its full service, according to NHK.

East Nippon Expressway Co. noted it has closed a line connecting Fukushima and Miyagi due to a landslide, according to report.

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