japan earthquake

Japan Earthquake: Tsunami warning issued after magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Japan

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Japan Earthquake: Japan issues evacuation orders following a tsunami alert

A tsunami warning has been issued for Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan following an earthquake in the Noto region

Following a seismic event with an approximate magnitude of 7.6 off Japan’s western coast at around 4:10 p.m. local time on Monday, authorities have issued tsunami warnings for multiple regions. They are advising residents in susceptible areas to either evacuate or move to higher ground.

A confirmed tsunami measuring 1.2 meters reached Wajima city in Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. Within a span of 90 minutes, Japan experienced 21 earthquakes with a magnitude exceeding 4. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially anticipated a much larger tsunami of five meters to hit Noto in the same region, as reported by AFP. However, officials later revised the threat level from a “major tsunami warning” to a “tsunami warning” for the area.

Following the earthquake that struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10 pm local time (07:10 GMT), NHK declared an immediate evacuation order for all residents to move to higher ground. Simultaneously, another earthquake warning was issued for Ishikawa.

Both US and Japanese agencies cautioned about the potential danger of hazardous tsunami waves, reaching up to 5 meters (16.4 feet) high, along the north coast of central Japan within a 300km (186 miles) radius from the epicentre of the magnitude 7.5 quake.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, the top government spokesperson, conveyed in an urgent press briefing that authorities were in the process of assessing the extent of the damage. He cautioned residents to be prepared for potential additional earthquakes.

NHK broadcasted footage indicating buildings collapsing in Ishikawa, while tremors were felt in Tokyo on the opposite coast.

Hokuriku Electric Power reported that over 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority stated that no irregularities had been identified at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, including the five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui prefecture.

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