Japan: 7.5-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami warnings for northwestern coast
People were urged to quickly leave coastal areas, with waves up to 5 metres predicted amid the tsunami warning, media reports said
An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale struck western Japan on Monday (January 1), prompting authorities to issue tsunami warnings for the country’s northwestern coast, The Japan Times reported.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported quakes off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4 pm, one of them with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6. It issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 5 metres (16.5 feet) and urged people to flee to high land or the top of a nearby building as quickly as possible.
NHK said the tsunami waves could keep returning, and warnings were continuing to be aired more than an hour after the initial alert. Several aftershocks also rocked the region.
People told to evacuate
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that nuclear plants in the area had not reported any irregularities. But he said it was critical for people in coastal areas to get away from the oncoming tsunami. “Every minute counts. Please evacuate to a safe area immediately,” he said.
A tsunami of about 3 metres (about 10 feet) high was expected to hit Niigata and other prefectures on the western coast of Japan. Smaller tsunami waves were already confirmed to have reached the coastline, according to NHK.
Warnings of waves up to a metre (3 feet) high were also issued for parts of North Korea and Russia. Russian officials issued a tsunami alert for the island of Sakhalin, warning that areas across the island's west coast could be affected by the waves.
In nearby South Korea, the weather agency urged residents in some eastern coastal towns to watch for possible changes in sea levels. Tsunami waves that hit later can be bigger than the initial ones.
Special emergency centre
The Japanese government has set up a special emergency centre to gather information on the quakes and tsunami and relay them speedily to residents to ensure safety, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. He reiterated the warning for immediate evacuation in affected areas.
NHK TV footage showed a room shaken by the quake, with hanging laundry swaying from side to side and a computer on a desk rattling. Reports of major damage were not immediately available. NHK reported that some electric poles were toppled and roads were cracked.
Bullet trains suspended
Meanwhile, bullet trains have been suspended between Tokyo and the earthquake epicentre in the Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Railways said. Officials in Suzu City in Ishikawa Prefecture said several houses and power poles have collapsed there following the earthquake, according to national broadcaster NHK. We'll bring you more information as we get it. The first tsunami waves, some more than a metre high, have arrived on the northern coast of central Japan, according to reports.
Waves as high as 1.2m (4 ft) hit Wajima port in Ishikawa prefecture at 16:21 local time (07:21 GMT), national broadcaster NHK said. The city of Toyama, Toyama prefecture, also reported tsunami waves of 0.8m. People in those areas have been told to evacuate.
Japan is an extremely quake-prone nation. In March 2011, a major quake and tsunami caused meltdowns at a nuclear plant.
(With agency inputs)
