A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake jolted eastern Japan late Wednesday night, shaking capital Tokyo and prompting a brief tsunami advisory for parts of the northeast coast.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), the utility company that covers most of the Tokyo region, said on its website that more than 2 million homes were without electricity due to the quake.
East Japan Railway Co. said most of its train services were suspended for safety checks.

The earthquake occurred east of Honshu Island at around 23:36 March 16. The epicenter was about 57 km (35 miles) east-northeast of Namie. The initial tsunami threat had prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders in parts of the coastal towns and cities of Watari, Iwanuma, Shiogama, Yamamoto, Higashi-Matsushima, Matsushima, Shichigahama, Tagajo, Sendai, and Natori in Miyagi Prefecture, as well as Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture, with further evacuations being continually announced.

Numerous railways, metros, airports, and bus lines across eastern Honshu have temporarily suspended service for damage assessments. Although many are now resuming operations once receiving the all-clear, residual disruptions are likely across most services in the coming hours.

Cellular networks may be overwhelmed; use text messaging if services are available. Due to the threat of landslides, seek updated information on road conditions before driving in hilly areas in the affected area.