Japan: 7.6-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami in coastal areas
A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck central Japan, along the coastal regions of Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama prefectures, on Monday (local time). It was followed by at least 21 strong tremors, which damaged buildings and roads. However, no causality has been reported so far. Meanwhile, tsunami waves hit several parts of Japan's coast amid a warning by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Why does this story matter?
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Lying on the western edge of the Ring of Fire, the archipelago is one of the most tectonically active places on Earth. In 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami in northern Japan, leaving around 18,500 people dead. It also melted three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant, posing a threat of contamination.
21 earthquakes rock Japan, PM Kishida warns of more jolts
According to the JMA, a succession of 21 earthquakes, with magnitudes ranging from 4.0 to 7.6, occurred in just over 90 minutes on Monday. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in a televised address, asked citizens to follow evacuation orders closely. He also warned of more powerful quakes followed by tsunami waves. The risk of fires and landslides also spiked in areas hit by earthquakes.
First tsunami waves hit Japan
A tsunami of 1.2 meters was confirmed to have arrived in Wajima city in Ishikawa prefecture. A much higher tsunami of five meters was forecast to hit Noto in the same region, the country's meteorological agency said. According to the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, dangerous tsunami waves were possible within 300 kilometers (190 miles) of the quake's epicenter along the coasts of Japan.
Electricity, telecommunications, transportation hit
In Ishikawa and Toyama, nearly 36,000 homes have lost electricity following the quake, per reports. It also caused telephone and internet service interruptions in Ishikawa and Niigata. Some of the highways and high-speed train services were suspended. Japanese airline ANA said it diverted four planes bound for airports in Toyama and Ishikawa, while flights to Niigata and Ishikawa were canceled.
Weather services ask people to flee to safer places
Per state-run broadcaster NHK TV, Japan's weather department asked people to flee to high land or on top of a nearby building to avoid high torrents of water that were predicted to reach up to five meters. "All residents must evacuate immediately to higher ground," it reported, saying that the earthquake first hit the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10 pm (local time).
Nuclear power plants safe after quakes: Reports
The area affected by the earthquake includes a nuclear plant. However, no irregularities have been detected at the plant following the quakes, per The Guardian. Nuclear plant operators said it was checking the facility and other nuclear plants for any damage. The quake, which struck on New Year's Day, was also felt in Tokyo and across the Kanto area.
Video from Hagiura Bridge in Toyama
Japan witnessed deadliest earthquake in 2011
To recall, Japan was hit by its most powerful earthquake on March 11, 2011. The epicenter of the earthquake was beneath the North Pacific, approximately 130 kilometers east of Sendai on Honshu Island. The Tohoku earthquake gave rise to a tsunami, with a maximum wave height of nearly 40 meters. This also wiped out 123,000 houses and damaged a million more.
