Japan Rocked by 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake, Tsunami Warnings Issued

Following Monday afternoon’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked the western part of the country, the Japanese government has issued a tsunami alert to its residents.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres approximately 42 kilometres northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The Japan Meteorological Agency swiftly issued a tsunami warning for residents along the coastal regions of western Japan. The first waves were reported hitting the coast just over 10 minutes later.

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Initial reports from Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture indicate tsunami waves reached around 1.2 meters (3.9 feet), as reported by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Thankfully, no immediate damage reports have been received.

First Major Tsunami Alert since 2011

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a substantial tsunami warning for Noto in Ishikawa, projecting waves of about 5 meters.

A spokesperson from Ishikawa prefecture’s disaster management agency noted that this warning marks the first since 2011.

Japan’s tsunami warning system categorizes waves expected to be less than 1 meter as a “tsunami advisory,” those above 3 meters as a “tsunami warning,” and waves surpassing 5 meters as a “major tsunami warning.”

What the Japanese Govt is Saying

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said authorities were working to assess potential damage in affected areas.

“We have immediately set up the Prime Minister’s Office of Response – Disaster Counter Measure HQ. Putting human lives as a priority, we are making every effort to assess damages – putting forth all efforts in disaster response,” the prime minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.

The country’s weather agency warned that powerful aftershocks could continue over three days to a week and cautioned against potential building collapses and landslides.

Power Outage in the aftershock of Quake

In a broadcast message, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stressed the importance of residents in tsunami-prone areas relocating to higher ground promptly.
Footage from NHK showed cameras shaking vigorously as waves slammed into the coastline when the quake hit Ishikawa prefecture.
In addition, more than 32,500 homes in Ishikawa prefecture were left without power following the quake, according to the Hokuriku Electric Power Company.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Kansai Electric Power Company stated on X that there were no reported abnormalities at the nuclear plants in the region.
The powerful quake was followed by a series of strong aftershocks, according to the USGS.