At least 1,596 residential buildings in Japan were damaged as a result of the 7.3 magnitude earthquake in the north-east of the country on Saturday, TASS reported, citing NHK.

The vast majority of damaged buildings are located in the northeastern Fukushima prefecture - 1,410 houses. Another 186 damaged buildings are located in the neighboring Miyagi prefecture.

A strong earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean northeast of Japan's Fukushima prefecture Saturday night. The tremors were felt in at least ten prefectures in northern, northeastern, and central Japan.