Sendai, Japan ? The earthquake was powerful enough to sway skyscrapers 185 miles away in Tokyo. And with an estimated magnitude of 7.2, it had the potential to cause catastrophic damage.

But this time, Japan got lucky.

No one died in the quake that rocked a wide swath of northern Japan on Tuesday. The scene of the worst damage was an indoor pool where part of the roof caved in, injuring a couple dozen swimmers, many of them young children.

Still, the jolt underscored the fragility of the lifelines of even the most modern, quake-resistant cities. It forced highways and railroads to close, leaving tens of thousands of people stranded, and 17,000 households lost electricity.

And with Tokyo overdue for a major quake of its own, it was a psychological jolt for many.

“I was stuck in a stopped train for three hours, and then had to walk about a mile along the tracks to get here,” said Shigenori Torihata as he waited for a friend at Sendai’s main train station.

The visible damage from the quake was surprisingly light.

Few houses were destroyed, and by nightfall the city of Sendai had returned to its normal routine.

Sixty people were reported hurt, the worst injuries being broken bones. Most were hit by falling debris, police said.

Damage was minimized because the quake was centered about 50 miles offshore and 12 miles under the seabed.

In sharp contrast, a 7.3-magnitude quake centered directly under the city of Kobe killed 6,400 people in 1995.