Powerful Quake in North Japan Nuclear plants safe

2008-06-14 07:37:32 - Earthquake did not affect operations at nuclear power plants in Fukushima Prefecture, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said. The Onagawa
nuclear power station in Miyagi Prefecture and the Higashidori nuclear power station in Aomori Prefecture, both of which are operated by the
Tohoku Electric Power Co., were operating normally, according to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

14 June 2008:A powerful earthquake magnitude of 7.2 Richter scale on
Sautdaystruck at 8:43 a.m areas Iwate and Miyagi prefecturesof
northeastern Japan.Tremblor killing two people and overturning a bus
in Sendai carrying at least 30 passengers. The upper 6 on Richter
scale in the Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture.The epicentre focus of the
earthquake was located about 10 kilometers below the ground in an
inland region of southern Iwate in areas of Iwate prefectures,
according to the agency.No tsunami warnings were issued.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, two people were confirmed
dead in the earthquake.One death occurred when 60-year-old Tomozo
Chiba living in Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture, ran out of a store after
the temblor struck and was run down by a truck, police said.The other
was caused after 55-year-old Michitaka Ishii was hit by a falling rock
while fishing on a beach in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, and thrown
into the sea.

At least 75 others were injured, including one who has
been left on life support.According to the Natori Municipal Fire Department in Miyagi Prefecture, 25 passengers on the bus were injured, three of them
seriously.Firefighters in Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, said at least six people
were injured in the quake.

East Japan Railway Co. said it had suspended train services between Omiya and Hachinohe stations on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line.All expressways in Miyagi Prefecture have been closed, police said.

The quake was felt as far away as the Kanto region and Hokkaido.The
agency said another earthquake measuring lower 5 on the seismic
intensity scale hit Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, at 9:20 a.m.

In Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture, one person was injured when their
carwas buried by a landslide.
Bullet train services on the Tohoku, Yamagata and Akita Shinkansen
lines have been suspended.