On Saturday local time a 7.1 earthquake struck about 200 miles off the coast of Japan, creating a small tsunami that reached the coastline.
The waves were only about one foot when they reached the coast, BBC News reports. A tsunami alert was temporarily issued and workers at the Fukushima nuclear power plant were told to avoid waterfront areas. The earthquake and tsunami did not affect the power plant, a Fukushima spokesperson said.
The tsunami warning warned that waves up to 1 meter could possibly strike the eastern coastline. The Japan Meteorological Agency said, "Though there may be slight sea-level change in coastal regions, no tsunami damage is expected."
According to USA Today, the epicenter was six miles deep and the resulting tremor could be felt in Tokyo.
A USA Today reporter, William Welch, happened to be in Tokyo at the time and commented that the earthquake "seemed to be the longest one I've experienced."
The original tsunami warning, which was lifted two hours after being issued, was sent out to the Iwate, Ibaraki, Chiba and Miyagi Prefectures as well as Fukushima, where residents were told to "get out of the water and leave the coast immediately."