Japan has issued evacuation orders following a robust earthquake that hit the western coastline of central Japan.
The quake, measuring around 7.6 in magnitude, struck the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture on Honshu, the main central island, around 4:10 pm local time.
Waves exceeding a meter in height were triggered, leading to tsunami alerts and warnings for residents to evacuate.
The quake resulted in power outages for tens of thousands of homes, disrupting flights and rail services. In Wajima city, close to the epicenter, several houses collapsed, with at least six people reported inside.
A significant fire in the city engulfed a row of houses, necessitating nighttime evacuations.
Local hospitals faced challenges in transporting injured individuals due to damaged roads.
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The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported dozens of aftershocks with at least a magnitude 3.5 between 4 pm and 7:30 pm.
Initially, a major tsunami warning was issued for Ishikawa, while lower-level warnings or advisories were given for the rest of Honshu and the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, Hokkaido.
The warning was later downgraded, but the potential for waters reaching up to 3 meters remained.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, initially warned of potential tsunamis along a 190-mile coast, declared that the tsunami danger had mostly passed about four hours after the 7.6-magnitude quake.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged residents to remain vigilant for possible aftershocks, emphasizing the need for those in tsunami-prone areas to evacuate promptly.
The impact was felt as far as 190 miles away in Tokyo.
NHK broadcaster issued evacuation warnings, urging people to move to higher ground swiftly and be cautious of aftershocks.
Authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage, with the Japan Self-Defense Forces preparing for deployment to assist in rescue and recovery efforts.
NHK footage depicted buildings collapsing in Ishikawa, and over 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures.
High-speed rail services to Ishikawa were suspended, and telecom operators SoftBank and KDDI reported disruptions to phone and internet services.
Air travel was also affected, with ANA turning backplanes headed to Toyama and Ishikawa airports, while Japan Airlines canceled most services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions.
One of Ishikawa’s airports was closed.
Despite being earthquake-prone, Japan has stringent construction regulations to ensure buildings can withstand strong tremors.
The country routinely conducts emergency drills to prepare for major earthquakes.
The earthquake’s epicenter off the Sea of Japan coast raised concerns about potential tsunamis reaching the shore in under 10 minutes.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no irregularities at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan.
The nation, having experienced a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, remains vigilant, with most nuclear power plants inactive since the Fukushima Daiichi plant meltdown.
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