Japan orders evacuations after tsunami warning
A powerful earthquake alarmed the inhabitants of Kanazawa, causing panic and concern throughout the city. A seismic movement of considerable magnitude shook Kanazawa, prompting a response of unrest and unease among its residents.
The central region of Japan was hit by a severe 7.6 magnitude earthquake, prompting authorities to urge residents to evacuate as soon as possible.
A big alert of a possible tsunami was given to the Noto coastal region in Ishikawa, informing about potential waves reaching a height of 5 meters (16ft).
Officials have also released alerts regarding potential tsunamis in the nearby regions of Niigata and Toyama prefectures, stating that waves may reach as high as 3m.
The public TV displayed a message that read "EVACUATE" in large fonts, asking people to move towards higher areas although it was cold.
A TV host from NHK advised impacted spectators by saying, "We know that your home and personal possessions are significant to you, however, your well-being must be your top priority. Make your way to the highest peak that you can manage."
On Monday, which was also New Year's Day, videos were uploaded by individuals showing their residences and trains on the subway getting jolted by the earthquake.
Central Japan was hit by a series of 21 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or more in just over an hour and a half on Monday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The most powerful earthquake occurred at 16:10 local time (07:10 GMT) and had a magnitude of 7.6.
Several news outlets stated that there hasn't been a "significant tsunami alert" since 2011, when a severe earthquake struck northeastern Japan and led to waves reaching heights of 40 meters.
Japan is known as one of the countries with the highest seismic activity in the world, thanks to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire. This area is where a lot of tectonic plates meet. Because of the frequent threat of earthquakes, Japan has invested in developing some of the most advanced tsunami warning systems worldwide.
The blog post's image is credited to Kyodo via Reuters.
A house in Wajima town, located in Ishikawa prefecture, has crumbled down.
The earthquake on Monday caused the closure of important roads close to where it originated. In addition, over 36,000 houses were affected by power outages in that region, according to Hokuriku Electric Power.
According to Japan's nuclear regulatory body, it is highly unlikely that any radioactive materials will escape from nuclear power plants located in regions impacted by the recent earthquakes and tsunamis.
The spokesperson for the government named Yoshimasa Hayashi cautioned the citizens to be ready for more earthquakes.
The weather experts in South Korea gave a warning that the eastern coast of the country might get hit by waves up to 0.3m high due to a tsunami on Monday between 6:29 pm to 7:17 pm. They have requested the people residing in the Gangwon province's mountains to move to high altitudes to avoid any damage.
According to TASS, the state news agency of Russia, tsunami alerts have been released for Vladivostok and Nakhodka, two port cities in the eastern region.
Back in 2011, a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 struck Japan, followed by an enormous tsunami that devastated the coastal areas in the north-east. The disaster led to the death of nearly 18,000 individuals and left tens of thousands displaced.
The gigantic waves from the tsunami led to a failure of the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima power station, resulting in the most severe nuclear mishap since the Chernobyl disaster.
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