At least eight people were killed in the powerful earthquake that hit Central Japan on Monday. The earthquake measuring 7.5 on the richter scale resulted in the collapse of buildings, fires, and the issuance of tsunami alerts reaching as far as eastern Russia. Residents in affected coastal areas of Japan were urged to evacuate.
According to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, the quake caused eight fatalities in Ishikawa prefecture and left dozens injured in Toyama, Niigata, and other regions. The numbers is expected to rise.
The earthquake occurred at 4:10 p.m. local time, reaching a depth of 10 kilometers in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa prefecture, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The Japan Meteorological Agency promptly issued a tsunami warning for western Japan's coastal regions, and the initial waves struck approximately 10 minutes later.
Notably, Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture experienced tsunami waves around 1.2 meters high at 4:21 p.m., with no immediate damage reported. Subsequent updates led to the cancellation of tsunami warnings along parts of Japan's western coast.
To aid in rescue efforts, the defense ministry dispatched 1,000 military personnel, according to Defense Minister Minoru Kihara. Suzu city officials reported damaged buildings and injuries, with some individuals trapped in affected houses.
The Japan Meteorological Agency initially declared a "major tsunami warning" for Noto, later downgrading it to a "tsunami warning." While the threat of additional tsunami waves diminished, advisories for waves up to 1 meter persisted.
NHK footage depicted the seismic impact on the coastline, with shaking cameras and reports of collapsed roofs and foundations. Shinkansen bullet train services were temporarily halted, leaving nearly 1,400 passengers stranded for over 11 hours.
Social media posts displayed the aftermath, revealing store aisles strewn with goods. Power outages affected over 32,500 homes in Ishikawa prefecture, with no reported abnormalities at nearby nuclear plants, as stated by Japan's Kansai Electric Power Company.
A series of aftershocks followed, including a 6.2 magnitude event at a depth of 10 kilometers southwest of Anamizu. Seismologists anticipate continued aftershocks, with Japan's weather agency warning of potential building collapses and landslides over the next few days to a week.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida affirmed that authorities are actively assessing the damage in affected areas. Waves of varying heights were reported along Japan's western coast, while the South Korean Meteorological Administration monitored sea level changes on its east coast.
Eastern Russian cities and Sakhalin also faced a tsunami threat, with no reported evacuations as of yet.
