7.4 earthquake hit japan;tsunami alert

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Powerful quake hits Japan, tsunami alert: TV
Posted: 07 April 2011 2258 hrs
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Seismograph readings

TOKYO - A powerful earthquake hit northeastern Japan late Thursday, prompting a tsunami alert to be issued, according to a TV report.

The quake, which hit at 11:32 pm local time (1432 GMT), had a magnitude of 7.4, according to the US Geological Survey, which said it struck 66 kilometres (40 miles) east of Sendai.

[azeoprop]

Live NHK update:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/index.html

Tsunami warning:
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/tsunami/

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Japan nuclear plant workers evacuated following quake
Posted: 07 April 2011 2327 hrs


TOKYO : Workers battling to control the stricken nuclear plant on Japan's northeast coast were ordered to evacuate after a 7.4-magnitude quake hit the area and a local tsunami warning was issued, operator TEPCO said on Thursday.

"After the earthquake and the tsunami warning, all the workers evacuated to a safe area. The company confirmed all the workers have cleared the plant safely," a spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power said.

"We have no information immediately indicating any abnormality at Fukushima Daiichi plant," a spokesman told a press conference.

"We will release new information as it becomes available," he said.

Workers have been grappling to secure damaged reactors at the plant, which was badly hit by the massive tsunami that hit Japan's northeast on March 11.

Cooling systems were knocked out, leaving the temperature of the nuclear cores to rise and setting off a scramble to prevent a meltdown.

- AFP/ms