Fukushima Prefecture Shaken by 5.3 Magnitude Earthquake, No Tsunami Warning Issued
Fukushima Prefecture, already reeling from the problems brought about the by radiation contamination at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, has been struck by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake early Friday morning.
The earthquake struck at 2.25 am (17.25 GMT) on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey. It has a depth of 22 kilometres under the Fukushima prefecture, about 177 kilometres northeast of Tokyo.
No tsunami warning alert was issued.
Tepco (Tokyo Electric Power Co), the operator of the crippled nuclear power plant, reported observing no abnormality in radiation or the plant's equipment after the earthquake, the Japanese news agency Kyodo News said.
Earthquake under Fukushima. We could have had solar power for all of America for $ we spent on these wars.Put your money where UR life is.
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) September 20, 2013
Another earthquake at Fukushima. Let's hope they don't lie how bad this one is like they did the last. http://t.co/Q8cIEMymb6
— Truspiracy (@SimonSharman) September 20, 2013
Just on Thursday, Tepco had been instructed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo to decommission the remaining two reactors at the nuclear power plant. Its four other reactors were devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
Early this week, Tepco had been forced to release contaminated and highly toxic rainwater into the ocean because of Typhoon Man-yi.
Read: Japan Radiation Doomsday: Typhoon Man-yi Pushes Fukushima Operator to Release Contaminated Rainwater into Pacific Ocean, Assures Low Radiation Levels
Experts believe there is more than that meets the eye concerning the Fukushima contaminated waters.
"It's believed that deep beneath the nuclear plant is a massive underground pool of contaminated water which is slowly making its way towards the sea," the ABC reported.
Read: Doomsday in Japan? Radiation-Stricken Fukushima Power Plant in Direct Path of Typhoon Man-yi