Live Japan earthquake: 7.3 magnitude quake strikes off Fukushima – tsunami warning issued

Nearly 16,000 people were killed by the earthquake and tsunami, with hundreds of thousands left at least temporarily homeless.

The tsunami also caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. No one was immediately killed in the nuclear disaster, though thousands were exposed to radiation.

The tremor caused tall buildings to sway in Tokyo, some 200 miles to the south, but there have been no immediate reports of significant damage, Julian Ryall reports.

The quake started off a as a slow undulating motion but quickly built up to more powerful shaking. The tremor lasted for more than a minute before tailing off, but was followed by at least one minor aftershock.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injury, which struck at 5:59 a.m. (2059 GMT).

Tokyo Electric Power Co was checking its nuclear plants in Fukushima for damage, public broadcaster NHK said.

Tohoku Electric Power Co said there was no damage to its Onagawa nuclear plant.

Television footage showed ships moving out to sea from Fukushima harbours, as the meteorological agency warned of a tsunami of 3 metres (10 feet) for Fukushima, where Tepco’s Daiichi nuclear plant was devastated in a March 2011 quake and tsunami.

All nuclear plants on the coast threatened by the tsunami are shutdown in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Only two reactors are operating in Japan, both in the southwest of the country. Even when in shutdown nuclear plants need cooling systems operating to keep spent fuel cool.

There is a live stream here – people by the coast are being warned to evacuate immediately.

Fukushima is under threat from the tsunami waves