Japan warns of big tsunami after powerful earthquake hits coast
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On Monday, the west coast of Japan was hit by a strong earthquake that measured a preliminary magnitude of 7.6. As a result, numerous tsunami warnings were announced. People were forced to evacuate and celebrations for the new year were disrupted due to widespread power outages.
The government agency responsible for forecasting weather in Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency, has released an urgent alert regarding a massive tsunami in Ishikawa prefecture situated in central Japan. This announcement marks the highest level of warning since the destructive tsunami in 2011 that left the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant non-functional.
Warnings of a lesser severity were given for nearby coastal regions in Niigata and Toyama. The tsunami prediction was up to five meters in height, with waves of approximately one meter already spotted in certain areas along the Sea of Japan coast, as reported by the public broadcaster NHK.
There was an earthquake that occurred in the region and it could be felt in Tokyo. The earthquake had an impact on several nuclear power plants in the area, including the Tokyo Electric Power's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa site located in the Niigata prefecture. Even with this, one official at Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority stated that they did not notice any strange or alarming changes in the radioactivity levels at any of the nuclear power plants.
The first earthquake occurred in the Ishikawa area of Noto just after 4pm and was followed by several strong aftershocks. Japan's weather bureau cautioned that there could be additional major tremors in the near future.
Japan is highly susceptible to seismic activity such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity. The Tohoku earthquake that occurred in 2011 measured 8.9 on the Richter scale and resulted in a devastating tsunami which claimed the lives of nearly 20,000 individuals.
The Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, has urged those living in areas that have been impacted by the tsunami to promptly evacuate. Furthermore, he emphasized that the government is presently evaluating the scope of devastation from the earthquake. He cautioned that the residents must remain cautious as more potent earthquakes could occur.
Over 32,000 households experienced power outages in Ishikawa province, based on the report of Hokuriku Electric Power Company. A significant blaze erupted in Wajima city in the same province, and some buildings collapsed, as depicted on Japanese TV broadcasts. The earthquakes caused troubles with bullet train operations, air travel, and mobile services in the area.
By 6 in the evening, the chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, reported that there were a minimum of six residential buildings that got damaged and residents were stuck inside. The count of casualties and injured people was uncertain due to the involvement of the Japanese armed forces in the conduct of rescue operations.
The television broadcast displayed roads that were distorted and vehicles that were taken away by the tsunami. On social media, a lady from Noto Peninsula pleaded for assistance while standing in front of a damaged rooftop and beverage cartons. She affirmed that her town needed urgent help.
Authorities in South Korea's eastern Gangwon province advised citizens living near the coast to move to elevated areas due to reports of increasing sea levels caused by the tsunami.
Christian Davies contributed to this blog post from Seoul with extra information.
