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7.4 magnitude earthquake hits Japan’s northeast coast, killing four and injuring at least 100

The US Time Today reported, citing Reuters, thousands of Japanese homes were left without power on Thursday as businesses worked to assess damage in the morning after a powerful tremor hit Japan’s northeast coast, killing at least four people and injuring nearly 100, some seriously.
The 7.4-magnitude quake, which struck just before midnight on Wednesday and revived memories of the March 11, 2011 disaster, also severed transport links to the northeast, with the Shinkansen bullet train suspended indefinitely and at least one major road into the region Checks have been blocked for security reasons.
Parts of Tokyo lost power immediately after the quake, although most regained it within three hours. But around 36,400 homes powered by Tohoku Electric Power Co in northeastern Japan were left without power as of 9:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) on Thursday, although the company said it expects to have power to most later in the day is restored.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said four people had died and the government was on high alert for the possibility of more severe shaking in the next two to three days.

The quake, originally measured as magnitude 7.3 but later corrected to 7.4 by the Japan Meteorological Agency, struck at 11:36 p.m. local time just off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture at a depth of 60 kilometers. The 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami, commemorated across the country less than a week ago, left about 18,000 dead.
A tsunami warning was issued but canceled early Thursday morning. Some areas reported sea level rise, but no serious damage was immediately reported.
Four earthquakes hit northwest Spain within an hour
The 2011 disaster also triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. No anomalies were reported at any nuclear power plant, although authorities had previously said a fire alarm had gone off in a turbine building at the shut down plant.
The manufacturers tried to assess the potential damage to their systems.
Renesas Electronics Corp, the world’s largest maker of microcontroller chips for the automotive industry, said it is inspecting three plants in Japan for earthquake damage.
Meanwhile, Toyota Motor Corp said it had canceled day shifts at two factories in northeast Japan after workers evacuated the plants during their evening shift on Wednesday. The automaker said it would decide on the late shift later.
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The main banking arm of Mizuho Financial Group Inc said some of its ATMs had temporarily shut down due to power outages, but that they have all been put back into service.
In a bid to cover the area affected by the Shinkansen outage, All Nippon Airways said it has added additional flights to the northern city of Sendai. There were no forecasts as to when regular rail operations could resume.
Japan’s benchmark stock index, the Nikkei, rose sharply without being affected by the quake.
Source: ustimetoday
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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