7.3 Earthquake Shakes Japan, Tsunami Alert Issued [Updated]

A tsunami alert has been issued after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake shook everything as far as Tokyo.

A one-meter-high tsunami could hit the northeast coast of Japan today, devastating the Miyagi Prefecture area, the United States Geological Survey announced.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre announced there was no risk for a widespread tsunami into the Pacific Ocean; however, the event could be destructive for the local region, Sky News reports.

A less powerful tsunami is expected to hit the Aomori and Ibaraki regions on the Pacific coast of Iwate, Fukushima.

The Myiagy Prefecture was hit by a devastating tsunami on March 11, 2011, which affected the Fukushima nuclear plant and had worrying consequences regarding the radiation contaminating the food and water in the region.

The event determined the most intense evacuation action ever known since the Chernobyl nuclear explosion.

Keep an eye on this space for more updates.

[Update] December 7, 2012: The one-meter-high tsunami has already hit Japan's Myiagy Prefecture. The one hitting the coast of Iwate is expected to be 0.5 meters high.