Japan's Fukushima Rocked by Two Major Quakes Weeks Before 10th Anniversary of Nuclear Disaster

Japan is regularly hit by earthquakes because of its geographic location in one of the most highly active seismic zones known as the Ring of Fire. Fukushima Prefecture was notoriously hit by a devastating earthquake in 2011 which resulted in one of the biggest nuclear disasters at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Japan has been hit by two earthquakes over the weekend off the Fukushima Prefecture, measuring 7.3 and 5.2 on the Richter scale.

The initial tremor, reported on Saturday, left over a hundred people injured and caused power outages in almost a million homes.

Less than 24 hours, the second quake rattled the eastern coast of the Honshu island.

According to the local authorities, there were no victims in either of the seismic events.

The two earthquakes hit the prefecture just weeks before the tenth anniversary of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, caused by a 9.0-magnitude quake.

Sputnik welcomes you have a look at our latest photo gallery to see the extent of the damage caused by the two earthquakes.

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© REUTERS / KYODO

A wall levelled by a strong earthquake is pictured in Kunimi, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan on 14 February 2021 in this photo taken by Kyodo.

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© REUTERS / Kyodo

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima Prefecture is pictured after a strong earthquake shook north-eastern Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo on 14 February 2021.

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© AFP 2023 / JIJI PRESS

Japanese woman Taeko Naito stands looking at her shattered kitchen at her home in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture on 14 February 2021, after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's east coast on 14 February.

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© REUTERS / Kyodo

A gate lies broken in Koori, Fukushima Prefecture, early on 14 February 2021, after a strong earthquake shook north-eastern Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo.

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© REUTERS / Issei Kato

A member of staff at the library tries to restore order after the books were shaken from their shelves by a strong earthquake at Iwaki City library in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, 14 February 2021.

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© REUTERS / Kyodo

A landslide caused by a strong earthquake blocks Joban Expressway in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan on 14 February 2021, in this photo taken by Kyodo.

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© REUTERS / Issei Kato

Mitsue Hisa, 70, the owner of a Japanese izakaya pub, cleans up broken dishes at her shop after a strong quake in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, 14 February 2021.

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© AFP 2023 / JIJI PRESS

Shelters are set up in a sports arena in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture on 14 February 2021, after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's east coast on 14 February.