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Japan Hit by Second Major Quake (Updated)

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Shaking Buildings Japan Aftershock

A second earthquake—magnitude 7.4—has hit northeastern Japan, prompting a tsunami warning. The quake, strong enough to move buildings in Tokyo, hit 78 miles north of the devastated Fukushima plant at 11:32 pm, local time.

Update 1: TEPCO officials say they've not encountered any further problems with Fukushima's six reactors in the aftermath of this newest quake, although the area has been hit by electrical blackouts.

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Update 2: Residents of the Miyagi Prefecture have been told to move to higher ground immediately in advance of an expected tsunami.

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Update 3: Authorities at Miyagi's Onagawa nuclear plant say no elevated radiation levels have been detected around the facility, the reactors of which were shut down after the original March 11th quake.

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Update 4: Electrical blackouts are being reported in the vicinity of the quake's epicenter as well.

Update 5: A Japanese government spokesperson says tsunami waves are expected to have already hit land, although none have been observed.

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Update 6: Six injuries have been reported so far by local fire departments.

Update 7: Water injection at the Fukushima plant has continued despite the latest tremor.

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Update 8: The USGS has pegged the quake's magnitude at 7.1, rather than 7.4.

Update 9: Good news: all tsunami alerts have been canceled, although residents are still being advised to stay away from the coast in case of shifting tides.

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Update 10: The local intensity of the quake has been measured at 6+ on Japan's own tremor scale of 1 - 7.

Update 11: Two of the three power lines used to cool the Onagawa nuclear plant's deactivated reactors are offline, although again, no radioactive abnormalities have been observed.

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Update 12: The AP, quoting USGS geologist Paul Caruso, reports this newest tremor hit at almost the exact same coordinates as the original March 11th earthquake.

Update 13: A Japanese Meteorological Agency rep says further strong aftershocks are still possible in the immediate future.

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Update 14: The quake is being categorized as an aftershock from the March 11th event—by far the strongest to date.

Update 15: MSNBC's live feed has concluded, but we're continuing to monitor the situation and will update as warranted.

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Update 16: Kyodo News has put the death toll from yesterday's quake at four.

[BBC and Kyodo News]

Check our Definitive Japan Crisis Timeline for more information as it happens.