A Japanese nuclear energy station has been forced to run on emergency power after an earthquake knocked out electricity on the island of Hokkaido. The Tomari nuclear plant lost power after the 6.7 magnitude quake rocked the island in the early hours of Thursday. Emergency power supplies were pumped to the site in a big to keep energy flowing to parts of the northern island. It is expected the diesel
generators will last up to seven days. More than 100 people have been injured and 19 are missing since the quake struck, according to authorities. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said saving lives was the priority as his government set up a command centre to coordinate relief and rescue. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake, the most powerful recorded in Japan, struck off the northern coast of Honshu – the main island. READ MORE