Japan earthquake: Fukushima nuclear plant evacuated following aftershock
A magnitude 7.1 aftershock has rattled Japan a month after the magnitude 9 earthquake that spawned a deadly tsunami.
10:02AM BST 11 Apr 2011
Authorities issued a warning for a three feet high tsunami after today's earthquake, which had its epicentre in Fukushima prefecture. The warning was lifted after an hour.
Workers battling to contain a crisis at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant were ordered to evacuate after the powerful aftershock, operator TEPCO said.
The earthquake briefly knocked out power to crippled reactors before electricity was restored.
"The company ordered workers to withdraw and stay in a quake-proof building," a spokesman for the operator said. "We don't know many workers were involved."
The aftershock shook buildings and briefly forced Tokyo's main international airport to close both of its runways, but there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The news comes four days after northern Japan was hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre 25 miles under water near Sendai, a city devastated by the tsunami on March 11.
On Thursday evening people living along more than 300 miles of coastline north of Tokyo were warned of a tidal wave up to 6ft high and told to move to higher ground.
To date, police have confirmed that 12,596 people died as a result of the earthquake and tsunami last month. A further 14,747 are listed as missing presumed dead.
Recent aftershocks have renewed concerns about the fragile condition of the Fukushima facility, which continues to leak radiation into the ocean and atmosphere.
