Powerful earthquake jolts Japan's northeast coast, cuts power in Tokyo

A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan on Wednesday evening, triggering a tsunami advisory and plunging more than 2 million homes in the Tokyo area into darkness.

There were some reports of fires, but there otherwise were no immediate reports or signs of major damage.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that the government was assessing the extent of damage and promised to do its utmost for rescue and relief operations.

He urged residents in the affected areas to use extra caution for possible major aftershocks for about a week.