TOKYO (AP) — The latest on the powerful earthquake that has slammed the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido (all times local):

8:30 a.m.

Japan's minister for the economy, trade and industry Hiroshige Seko told reporters that efforts are underway to try to restore power in Hokkaido.

Nearly 3 million households over a widespread area are without electricity after a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southern Hokkaido at 3:08 a.m. Thursday (18:08 GMT Wednesday) at the depth of 40 kilometers (24 miles).

Seko said the government plans to use power from the area's four hydroelectric plants as all the area's fossil fuel power plants aren't working.

Places like hospitals will get priority, he said, noting he hoped to get power back "within a few hours."

Power is still out at the area's Tomari nuclear plant, but backup diesel generators have kicked in so the reactors' fuel is continuing to be kept cool, according to the government nuclear authorities. The plant has also shut down.

4 a.m.

A powerful earthquake hit wide areas on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido early Thursday, triggering landslides as well as causing the loss of power at nearly all of 3 million households and a nuclear power plant to go on a backup generator.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southern Hokkaido at 3:08 a.m. Thursday (1808 GMT Wednesday) at the depth of 40 kilometers (24 miles), Japan's Meteorological Agency said.

The quake's epicenter was east of the city of Tomakomai. It also struck Hokkaido's prefectural capital of Sapporo, with a population of 1.9 million.