Nuclear sites inspected in Japan as seismologists warn of another large quake

Nuclear facilities were inspected in Japan on Tuesday as authorities assessed the damage from a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, amid warnings of aftershocks and potentially larger tremblor in the coming days.

As clean up operations began, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters an emergency task force was formed to urgently assess damage, according to The Associated Press. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said.

A worker clears debris at a shopping center damaged by the earthquake in Hachinohe City.

Jiji Press / AFP via Getty Images

At least 34 people by Monday's earthquake, most of them hit by falling objects a buildings rocked on their foundations, officials said.

Since the initial tremblor struck about 30 miles below the sea surface off Japan