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Powerful quake hits north Japan | Powerful quake hits north Japan |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Dozens of people have been injured as a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 hit Japan's main island of Honshu. | |
The quake's epicentre was very deep, but it still caused damage to buildings and left thousands without power. | The quake's epicentre was very deep, but it still caused damage to buildings and left thousands without power. |
A number of cars were buried in a landslide, local television said, and the earthquake triggered fires and shattered windows. | A number of cars were buried in a landslide, local television said, and the earthquake triggered fires and shattered windows. |
The tremor also caused traffic disruption, with motorways closed and train services cancelled. | The tremor also caused traffic disruption, with motorways closed and train services cancelled. |
Police said at least 90 people were taken to hospital with injuries, according to the AFP news agency. | Police said at least 90 people were taken to hospital with injuries, according to the AFP news agency. |
Hundreds of people were trapped in stranded trains, reports said. | Hundreds of people were trapped in stranded trains, reports said. |
The earthquake, which struck at 0030 local time (1530 GMT) on Thursday, was centred 120km (75 miles) underground, in the Iwate prefecture near Morioka, Japan's Meteorological Agency said. | The earthquake, which struck at 0030 local time (1530 GMT) on Thursday, was centred 120km (75 miles) underground, in the Iwate prefecture near Morioka, Japan's Meteorological Agency said. |
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CCTV footage of the moment the earthquake hit | CCTV footage of the moment the earthquake hit |
The agency said there was no threat of a tsunami from the quake, which was felt as far away as Tokyo, some 500km (310 miles) to the south. | The agency said there was no threat of a tsunami from the quake, which was felt as far away as Tokyo, some 500km (310 miles) to the south. |
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda called on officials to "do their best" to rescue anyone trapped by the earthquake. | Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda called on officials to "do their best" to rescue anyone trapped by the earthquake. |
Emergency officials were deployed to the area as military planes flew over the worst-hit region in an attempt to assess the extent of the damage. | Emergency officials were deployed to the area as military planes flew over the worst-hit region in an attempt to assess the extent of the damage. |
Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries and experiences thousands of tremors each year. | Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries and experiences thousands of tremors each year. |