January 01, World (LNW): Japan experienced a significant seismic event on Monday (01), as a potent earthquake with a magnitude of 7 on the local shindo scale rattled the nation, international reports claimed.
This marked the highest intensity on the scale, triggering tsunami alerts along the entire western coast.
Following the powerful shock, originating near Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula at approximately 4:10 p.m., tsunami waves swiftly reached some regions.
The earthquake, registering at a magnitude of 7.6, resulted in collapsed buildings trapping at least six individuals.
Reports from local authorities and fire departments indicated numerous houses collapsing in parts of Ishikawa, with approximately 32,500 homes losing power in the prefecture.
Wajima, Ishikawa, experienced a large-scale fire, according to local sources. Although injury figures were not immediately clear, NHK reported that several individuals were hospitalised in affected areas.
A major tsunami warning, the highest alert level, was issued for Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula, with the weather agency cautioning about potential 5-metre waves in the area.
Other regions along the Sea of Japan coast, spanning from Hokkaido to Nagasaki, were under tsunami warnings or advisories, predicting waves of up to 3 metres.
The warning for Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, and Yamagata urged residents to evacuate coastal areas promptly. By 4:21 p.m., waves exceeding 1.2 metres had reached the Noto Peninsula’s Wajima Port in Ishikawa. NHK emphasised that wave heights might vary based on specific locations.
The Meteorological Agency highlighted that a major tsunami warning of this magnitude had not been issued since the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Areas experiencing strong shaking were cautioned about potential shindo 7 aftershocks over the following week, particularly in the next two to three days.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged affected residents to remain vigilant in the face of potential aftershocks. He specifically called on coastal areas expecting tsunamis to evacuate promptly.
