Powerful Earthquake Hits Northern Japan; 60 Injured

[steve2470]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBOOIXYGCE.html

SENDAI, Japan (AP) - The earthquake was powerful enough to sway skyscrapers 185 miles away in Tokyo. And with an estimated magnitude of 7.2, it had the potential to cause catastrophic damage.

But this time, Japan got lucky.

No one died in the quake that rocked a wide swath of northern Japan on Tuesday. The scene of the worst damage was an indoor pool where part of the roof caved in, injuring a couple dozen swimmers, many of them young children.

Still, the jolt underscored the fragility of the lifelines of even the most modern, quake-resistant cities. It forced highways and railroads to close, leaving tens of thousands of people stranded, and 17,000 households lost electricity.

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