Mar 18 (NHK) - Seismic activities continue off the northeastern coast of Japan after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the region on Wednesday night.
NHK has learned that as of 7 p.m. on Thursday, three people had been confirmed dead and at least 225 others injured.
Japan's meteorological agency says the quake struck off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture at around 11:36 p.m. on Wednesday. The depth of the focus is estimated at 57 kilometers.
A maximum intensity of 6 plus on the Japanese scale of zero to seven was recorded in hard-hit areas in Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
Tremors with intensities one to four were felt in wide areas from northern prefecture of Hokkaido to the southwestern region of Kyushu.
The meteorological agency issued a tsunami alert to coastal areas in Miyagi and Fukushima. Tsunami waves up to 30 centimeters were reported at Ishinomaki Port, and 20 centimeters in Sendai Port, both in Miyagi Prefecture. Soma Port in Fukushima also had waves of 20 centimeters.
The agency says that as of 7 p.m. on Thursday, 24 quakes with an intensity of one or more had struck off the coast of Fukushima and Miyagi.
The agency is urging residents in hard-hit areas to remain on alert for a possible earthquake with a maximum intensity of 6 plus for about a week.
The agency issued an emergency earthquake alert three times in about 10 minutes, late on Wednesday night.
The first and second ones were followed by strong jolts, but it is unknown whether an earthquake has ever occurred after the third alert.
The meteorological agency intends to look at what really happened after the third one.
