Tsunami hits Japan after strong quake near Fukushima nuclear plant, which was destroyed by the larger tsunami five year ago

Japan authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged the coastal residents to seek higher ground immediately on Tuesday morning as a powerful earthquake sent a series of moderate tsunami toward Japan’s northeastern shore.

It fueled concerns about the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was destroyed by a much larger tsunami five year ago.

The first tsunami waves hit about one hour after the earthquake. The highest one, 1.4 meters (4.6 feet) in height, reached Sendai Bay about two hours after the quake.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the same region of the nation that was entirely devastated by a tsunami that followed a much larger magnitude 9.0 quake in 2011, killing some 18,000 people. The US Geological Survey measured Tuesday’s quake at 6.9. At least 12 people were reported injured TV images from Japan media showed items scattered on the floor in a store and books that had fallen from shelves in a library. The earthquake shook buildings in Tokyo, 240 kilometers southwest of the epicenter.