Strong Earthquake Strikes Northern Japan

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 03, 2001

Strong Earthquake Strikes Northern Japan

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck the northern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu on Sunday, but there were no reports of injuries or damage in the sparsely populated region near the epicenter, authorities said.

Bullet train traffic in northern Honshu was suspended due to the tremor, according to national broadcaster NHK. But local power companies reported that nuclear reactors in the region were functioning normally after the quake, according to Kyodo News agency.

The Meteorological Agency said the quake, which occurred at 10:02 p.m., was centered some 80 miles underground in Iwate state, about 280 miles north of Tokyo.

An earthquake of magnitude 5 or higher can cause considerable damage when centered under heavily populated areas, and the temblor shook some buildings in the capital.

People in some areas were shaken from side to side and had to grab tables or other objects to keep from falling down, NHK reported.