Reactors continue through earthquake

09 March 2011

Nuclear power plants were barely affected by the Sanriku offshore earthquake that rocked Japan on 9 March at 11.45am. The earthquake measured 7.3 on the Richter scale and originated 160 kilometres offshore, some 8 kilometres underground. A tsunami warning was issued but in the end waves reached only 60cm high. Nuclear power plants on the Pacific coast that felt the quake include Onagawa, Higashidori and Fukushima Daini and Fukushima Daiichi. All the reactors at those plants operated as normal through the earthquake apart from two units that were already shut down for inspection. Diesel generators started automatically at Onagawa 2 on detection of the earthquake. Inspections at all the power plants found nothing unusual and operation continues.