Updated at 12:26 p.m., Thursday, September 25, 2003
Quake rattles Japan, poses no tsunami threat here
Associated Press
TOKYO — A strong quake with a magnitude of 8.1 rocked the northern Japan island of Hokkaido early Friday, knocking out power, derailing a train and touching off an industrial fire. Two people were reported injured.A powerful aftershock followed an hour later.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center briefly issued a tsunami watch for Hawai'i, but canceled it an hour later, saying there was no threat to the state based on available data. However, the center warned that coastal areas could experience sea level changes and strong currents for several hours beginning at 5:01 p.m.
Japan's Meteorological agency said tsunami as high as 3 feet hit the city of Kushiro.
The quake was strong enough to rock buildings on Hokkaido and shake objects off shelves. Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that at least several people had been injured and a fire had broken out in the city of Tomakomai.
