Japan Shaken by Major Aftershock of Earthquake from 5 Years Ago

A powerful earthquake has struck the east coast of the Japanese island Honshu, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, local time.

The quake, which reached 6.9 on the Richter scale, is said to have been an aftershock of the 2011 earthquake, named as one of the strongest on record, which killed over 15,000 people in the same area.

Tsunami warnings were put into place, around the Fukushima and Miyagi areas, as experts predicted that the quake posed as a potential tsunami risk. These have since been lifted, as waves did not reach the heights predicted.

Further warnings have also been issued to residents in the affected areas, to expect further shocks over the coming days, as aftershocks continue to rock the region.

Residents in coastal areas have been advised to evacuate, with thousands already starting to make their way to higher land.

At this current time, only minor injuries have been reported.

Flights flying to and from Sendai Airport, located on the north-eastern coast, have been disrupted, due to the quake.

The British FCDO have issued warnings to British nationals currently in affected areas in Japan: “British nationals in the affected areas should follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor local news and websites for updates.”

Don’t forget, you can get your travel insurance from Direct Travel at either www.direct-travel.co.uk, or ring our friendly UK based travel team on 0330 880 3600.

Published 22 Nov 2016

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