The Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant experienced a cooling system failure on Tuesday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake triggered tsunami warnings for the Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, according to reports.
Several media outlets reported that the cooling system for Fukushima’s reactor 3 went offline just after the earthquake early Tuesday morning, but plant owner Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) eventually restored the system. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake occurred around 6 a.m. local time at a depth of 6 miles.
“No abnormalities found at #TEPCO’s #Nuclear Power Stations after Magnitude 7.3 #earthquake off the coast of #Fukushima at 5:59 JST Nov 22,” TEPCO tweeted around 7 a.m. local time.
The earthquake prompted the Japan Meteorlogical Agency to issue tsunami warnings and order evacuations for both prefectures, with tsunami waves expected to hit the coast repeatedly. According to CNN, several tsunami waves were spotted, including one wave about 22 kilometers off the coast of Iwaki City; a 90-centimeter wave at Port of Soma; and a 60-centimeter wave at Port of Onahama.
Located about 150 miles north of Tokyo, Fukushima is the site of the 2011 disaster, in which a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a 15-meter tsunami, killing more than 20,000 people. The disaster lead to a prolonged loss of power and cooling capabilities at the plant, triggering a triple core meltdown and three hydrogen blasts, which released massive amounts of radioactivity into the air and ocean.
