An earthquake hit central Japan on Monday. It had a magnitude of 7.6. More than 36,000 homes in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures are without electricity. Tsunami warnings have been issued for Japan and Russia.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit Japan on Monday. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was centered 45 kilometers northeast of Anamizu on Honshu Island. They said the earthquake measured 7.5 on the Richter scale. The hypocenter was recorded at a depth of 10 km. Earthquake confirmed.
Energy supplier Hokuriku Electric Power said more than 36,000 homes were without power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a news conference that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage and that residents should prepare for further shocks. – Occupants should be alert, and tremors are possible. “I call for evacuation as soon as possible for those living in tsunami-prone areas,” Kishida said.
Tsunami warning
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami warning for the coastal areas of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama. Waves up to 5 meters high could reach Noto in Ishikawa Prefecture, according to the weather agency.
A tsunami up to one meter high hit the coast of the Sea of Japan, and a bigger wave was expected, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said.
Secretary of State Yoshimasa Hayashi urged people to evacuate to safer areas. Residents in South Korea's Gangwon province are also being urged to move to higher ground.
Canceled flights
Japanese airline ANA diverted four flights bound for Toyama and Ishikawa airports after the quake, while Japan Airlines canceled most flights to the Niigata and Ishikawa areas throughout the day, TV Asahi reported.
High-speed train services to Ishikawa Prefecture have been suspended.
A spokesman for Japanese energy company Kansai Electric Power said there were currently no irregularities at the nuclear plants, but the company was monitoring the situation closely.
The location of the earthquake that occurred in Japan on Monday, January 1, 2024 USGS
Evacuation on Sakhalin Island
Russia's Emergencies Ministry said the western coast of Sakhalin Island, located near Japan on Russia's Pacific coast, is at risk of a tsunami. Local residents are being evacuated, state news agency TASS reported on Monday. Reuters reported that TASS quoted the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry as denying earlier reports that people were being evacuated from threatened areas in Sakhalin.
Tsunami warnings have also been issued for the Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok and Nakotka, TASS reported, citing city mayors.
Main photo source: Reuters
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