A powerful 7.3 earthquake has struck off Japan’s Fukushima prefecture, triggering a potentially devastating tsunami which authorities warn could be higher than three meters as it reaches the shore.

00:41 GMT

00:34 GMT

Two people were slightly injured during the quake, Japan’s National Police Agency said.

00:31 GMT

A power outage following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake caused one of the dust monitors that tracks radioactive material at Fukushima No.2 nuclear plant to stop working, NHK reported citing TEPCO.

As a safety precaution, the operator also suspended the processing of contaminated water stored at the site following the deadly 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

00:19 GMT

Two more offshore aftershocks, measuring 4.9 and 4.6, have been reported by USGS.

00:13 GMT

Some three hours after the powerful earthquake, a 1.4 meter high tsunami wave was observed in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, at 8:03am.

As Tsunami warning remains in place. A 90cm wave was witnessed at Soma Port at 7:06am. Eighty centimeter waves were seen at Ishinomaki Ayukawa at 7:39am and at Kuji Port at 7:54am.

00:02 GMT

TEPCO, in a news update, said that the Fukushima power plant “remains intact” and safe after the operator confirmed the restarting of reactor three's spent fuel pool pump at 7:49am. At 6:38am, the Fukushima Daichi and Daini plants experienced a one meter high tsunami wave, the company said, adding that a second wave was “not very high”.

23:19 GMT

A tsunami warning is also in place for Miyagi Prefecture, a JMA spokesman said at a news briefing. “Please evacuate immediately,” the spokesman said adding that waves could strike immediately.

23:04 GMT

A fifth 4.4 magnitude offshore aftershock has been reported by USGS.

23:01 GMT

TEPCO plans to resume the operation of the cooling system within the next few hours, NHK reported.

22:29 GMT

A 90cm tsunami was observed at Soma Port, Fukushima Prefecture, at 7:06am, local media reported.

22:28 GMT

Four aftershocks ranging from 5.4 to 4.8 magnitude occurred in the hour after the initial jolt, USGS reported.

22:22 GMT

Tsunami waves were observed 20km off the coast of Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture and 20km off the coast of Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture, NHK reported, warning people that the waves are heading to shore.

A tsunami warning is in effect for Japan's Fukushima Prefecture after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Honshu at 5:59 a.m. Tuesday (3:59 p.m. Monday ET), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

A tsunami wave of 1-3 meters (3-10 feet) is possible, according to the agency. The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 6.9, striking 37 kilometers (23 miles) east-southeast of Namie off the country's east coast at a depth of 11.4 kilometers (7 miles).

Two aftershocks were reported by USGS, one 5.4 and one 4.8.

A tsunami wave has already been spotted 22 kilometers off the coast of Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture, CNN affiliate NHK reported. Images of the port showed waves that the broadcaster described as "backwash" that happens before a tsunami hits shore.

NHK urged the public to evacuate, cautioning that even if waves appear low in the ocean they can rise as they reach shore. The broadcaster reminded people to dress warmly in the cold rain and urged them to help others leave.

"Please do not think that you are safe. Please evacuate to high grounds," the network said. "Please think about the worst-case scenario and evacuate right away."

Earthquakes are common in Japan. The most recent was a 6.2 magnitude in late October near Kurayoshi, a city to the west of Osaka, which caused a handful of injuries.

The epicenter of this latest earthquake was not far south of the 2011 quake that caused a devastating tsunami, damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant and killed more than 15,000 people. The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan will rank among the costliest natural disasters on record.

The 2011 quake moved Japan's coast 8 feet and shifted the Earth's axis, ranking among the costliest natural disasters on record.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Inc. said there had been no change in radiation levels at Fukushima Daiichi, according to NHK. Authorities are working to confirm reports that the reactor's cooling system stopped, NHK reported.

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii as a result of the quake, the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said.

Developing story - more to come

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