Strong Earthquake Rattles Tsunami-weary Japan

A strong earthquake magnitude 7.3 hit Japan's north coast on Sunday, prompting a brief tsunami warning area still recovering from the devastating earthquake and killer waves four years ago.

Residents were warned to evacuate coastal areas for about two hours after the quake, but damage was not immediately reported.

Earthquake hit at 9:57 local time (0057 GMT) and the tsunami warning was issued for most of the northeastern coast. The epicenter of the quake was the Pacific coast of Japan's main island of Honshu, at a depth of about 20 miles (30 km).

Japanese officials predict the quake could cause a tsunami of up to 20 inches (50 cm), but at first the waves were only about 4 inches (10 cm). Tsunami warning lifted after the estimated time of arrival, no tsunami waves swept most areas will not be saved.

Japan Meteorological Agency estimated the strength of the first 7.1 quake, but later revised to 7.3. It also estimates that 10 to 30 km depth, as amended.

The northeastern part of Japan's coast were devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in the 11th Mars, which left nearly 23,000 dead or missing, and touched by the crisis severely affected by the nuclear plant in Fukushima.

Officials said there were no reports on the Fukushima plant abnormalities caused by the earthquake on Sunday, even though the staff had to move to high ground. Airports in the field were also normal.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. Decades after strong stimuli to be felt from the March 11 disaster, which measured 9.0 magnitude and was the strongest Japanese history.

On Sunday, Japan's quake registered four on a scale of 7, which means that it looked like a medium-strong. Since March earthquake and tsunami damage, but many of the buildings in the area are structurally fragile and Seawall has been destroyed, making the region more vulnerable to a relatively weak earthquake.