At least 13 killed in Japan earthquake as rescuers race to find others trapped in rubble

Japan’s meteorological agency warned there could be more earthquakes of similar intensity.

“For the next week or so, especially the next two to three days, we would like people to watch out for potential earthquakes with a maximum seismic intensity of 7,” it said Wednesday, according to NHK.

There appeared to be no damage to the nuclear reactors in the area. Japan’s nuclear authority informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that the Sendai nuclear power plant was not damaged in the earthquake.

“The IAEA will continue to monitor the situation,” the U.N. watchdog said Tuesday in a post on X.

Japan’s nuclear plants come under acute focus during earthquakes, especially after 2011, when a 9.1-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami led to meltdowns at three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The East Asian country is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, sitting on the “Ring of Fire,” where several tectonic plates converge, triggering many of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Nearly 20% of global earthquakes measuring 6.0 or higher occur in Japan.