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Japan Meteorological Agency: Earthquake off Fukushima was aftershock of 2011 quake

Vehicles make a line as they flee following a tsunami warning in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture early Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016.  (Kyodo News via AP)

People in Fukushima, Japan were to evacuate after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake was recorded off the coast.

The National Weather Service in Seattle said there was no tsunami danger in Washington or the West Coast.

What to know now:

  • The quake was first reported to be a magnitude 7.3  
  • USGS has since reported it to be a magnitude 6.9
  • The quake hit around 1 p.m. PST.
  • Authorities report that a tsunami has been observed off the coast of Fukushima
  • People on the Japan coast near Fukushima were told to find high ground.
  • No threat to Washington. 
  • The Japan Meteorological Agency says the earthquake was an aftershock of 2011 quake

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the quake struck early in the morning for Japan -- at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).

While residents as far away as Tokyo reported feeling the shaking, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, Reuters reports. Two operators of potentially affected nuclear plants reported no initial signs of damage.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the strong earthquake that struck Tuesday off the coast of Fukushima prefecture was an aftershock of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that spawned a deadly tsunami in the same region in 2011.

The agency warned that another large quake could hit in the next few days and urged residents to remain cautious for about a week.

Tuesday's magnitude 7.4 quake triggered moderate tsunamis, but nothing high enough to cause major damage. It was the largest earthquake in the northeast Japan region since the 2011 quake and some large aftershocks the same day.

In 2011, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake in the same region triggered a massive tsunami and led to almost 16,000 deaths. The temblor and tsunami led to a nuclear disaster at the power plant in Fukushima, which is still causing problem to this day.

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