Nuclear Power Plant on Alert as Fukushima Earth Quake Strikes

According to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 has struck in the Kanto area of Japan.  This region borders the Tōhoku area where the Fukushima Power Plant suffered a meltdown in 2011.

The Japanese news agency NHK reported that the epicentre was not at sea which means a repeat of 2011’s Tsunami is unlikely to occur again.  Nonetheless, tremors were felt in a “wide area” on Japan’s east coast.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company which is currently decommissioning Fukushima nuclear plant is investigating the impact the earthquake may have had.  In a statement, the company said, “At the moment, we have not confirmed the impact of the earthquake on our main power facilities (including nuclear power plants).”

The earthquake struck Ibaraki Prefecture at 9.38 pm local time.  There were no reports of injuries or damage.  Last month a larger earthquake struck Fukushima.  The country is situated on one of the most volatile places on the planet in terms of seismic activity.  The Pacific Ring of Fire stretches from Japan to the U.S.

Ninety percent of the world’s earthquakes and 81 percent of the most powerful earthquakes on the planet happen in the Pacific Ring of Fire.  As well as the Japan earthquake, a series of earthquakes has struck the U.S on the Nevada and California border.  Although no reports of damage or injury have yet to be reported, the quakes are believed to be at a magnitude between 2.8 and 4.

Fortunately, seismologist Lucy Jones believes the quakes were decaying and this was not a prelude to a bigger quake.  She tweeted, “They could be foreshocks but much more likely that we’ve already seen the largest.  Sequence decaying normally.”

Since the 2011 Fukushima meltdown, any kind of seismic activity near the area tends to raise the alarm of those in charge of dismantling the reactor of the plant.