Japan experienced a significant earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale on Monday, leading to tsunami alerts and evacuation orders for approximately 90,000 residents. The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed that initial wave heights of up to 70 cm were recorded at Kuji Port, with potential surges reaching up to 10 feet.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located 80 km (50 miles) offshore from Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 54 km, as reported by the agency.
Tsunami warnings were issued for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate, with observed tsunami heights ranging from 20 to 70 cm (7 to 27 inches) at various ports, according to the JMA.
Subsequently, it was announced that the government had downgraded the tsunami warning to an advisory status.
A tsunami warning indicates that a significant and dangerous tsunami is either imminent or currently occurring, necessitating immediate evacuation to higher ground. Conversely, a tsunami advisory suggests the likelihood of strong currents or minor flooding, without the expectation of widespread devastation.
The JMA warned, “There is a possibility that further powerful and stronger earthquakes could occur over the next several days,” urging residents to stay vigilant.
Authorities promptly issued an advisory that spanned a large area of the country, from Hokkaido to Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, cautioning about the potential for another major earthquake within the week.
As of 1700 GMT, public broadcaster NHK reported a few confirmed injuries. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi later stated, “As of now, I am hearing that there have been seven injuries reported.”
East Japan Railway suspended certain services in the affected region, which had previously suffered devastation during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that resulted in nearly 20,000 fatalities and caused meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility. This time, Tohoku Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power reported no irregularities at nearby nuclear plants. Initial estimates of power outages were in the thousands but were later adjusted to the hundreds.
