Saturday tremors in Japan were an 'aftershock' from 2011 quake, report says

A powerful earthquake that hit Japan on Saturday was an aftershock of the devastating 9.0 magnitude quake that struck the region almost 10 years ago, the national meteorological agency has said.

The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of 54 kilometres (33 miles) in the Pacific, off Fukushima -- near the epicentre of a 2011 killer quake which triggered a towering tsunami and killed more than 18,000.

No tsunami warning was, however, issued after Saturday's earthquake.

Authorities have spent the past ten years cleaning up the area -- a massive effort that experts say will take another few decades to complete.

According to a CNN report, Saturday's earthquake is a reminder that the events are 2011 are not entirely behind the Fukushima region.

Speaking to reporters, Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the damage was still being assessed, and asked residents in the affected area to stay indoors and be prepared for aftershocks.

The earthquake triggered landslides and uprooted sections of a major expressway, affecting both prefectures.

Also read | Earthquake of 7.0 magnitude strikes eastern Japan, no tsunami alert

(with inputs)