In the wake of a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan, the country’s meteorological agency has issued a warning urging citizens to remain vigilant for the next two to three days. The earthquake, which rattled the island nation, led to tsunamis hitting various areas, including the town of Wajima, located about 300 km from Tokyo.
Authorities have specifically alerted regions such as Ishikawa, Nigata, Nagano, and Toyama prefectures to be cautious. The government has advised residents to move to higher ground and stay away from the coast to avoid potential dangers posed by tsunami waves.
One reported tsunami wave reached four feet high in Wajima on Monday, prompting concerns of more significant waves in other regions. The government has raised the alarm for a potential 5-meter high tsunami hitting Ishikawa and warned of waves reaching up to 3 meters in Nigata on the western coast. North Korea and Russia are also on alert for potential 3-foot high tsunamis.
The earthquake has already caused damage to houses in the affected areas, triggering power outages and disrupting bullet train services in central and eastern Japan. Over 36,000 households in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures have reported power loss, according to utility provider Hokuriku Electric Power.
Despite the quake’s impact, no irregularities have been observed at nuclear power plants in the affected region. Hokuriku’s Shika plant in Ishikawa, situated closest to the quake’s epicenter, had preemptively halted its two reactors for regular inspection, experiencing no adverse effects.
Reflecting on the tragic events of 2011, when a powerful earthquake and tsunami led to the loss of 20,000 lives in Japan’s northeastern region and triggered a nuclear meltdown in the Fukushima plant, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the ongoing assessment of damage by authorities. He urged the population to brace for potential aftershocks in the coming days.
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