- Powerful earthquakes hit Ishikawa, Japan
- Tsunami advisory; 100,000 evacuated
- Several buildings collapsed, casualties reported
A succession of intense seismic events has struck Ishikawa and the environs. The tsunami threat has left tens of thousands of homes without power, and structures have collapsed; authorities urge individuals to seek refuge on higher ground.
Japan has issued a tsunami advisory in response to a sequence of intense earthquakes, requiring the evacuation of nearly 100,000 inhabitants.
The earthquakes, one of which, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, had an initial magnitude of 7.6, struck Ishikawa and the surrounding areas.
According to Kyodo News, the crisis management team in the region reported that the earthquakes that struck Ishikawa today killed four persons.
Previously, local police in Shika Town, Ishikawa, were cited by Japanese media outlets as stating that an elderly man was pronounced deceased following the collapse of a building.
Tens of thousands of homes are without power, and there have been reports of people being ensnared beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings; individuals are exhorted to seek refuge on higher ground in anticipation of the tsunami threat.
The earthquake prompted the first significant tsunami warning since 2011 and, according to the US Geological Survey, was the most powerful in the region in over four decades.
Several hours after initially issuing a significant tsunami advisory for Ishikawa, the meteorological agency downgraded the alert to a regular tsunami warning and then to a tsunami advisory.
In addition to other low-level advisories, authorities issued the warning for Ishikawa and neighboring prefectures along the western coast of the island of Honshu.
A 1.2-meter-plus tsunami struck Noto, Ishikawa, according to a spokesperson.
They further warned that areas severely impacted by the earthquakes could experience fires, house collapses, and landslides, and advised the public to avoid returning to hazardous areas for a minimum of one week.
As of now, at least thirty structures have collapsed in Ishikawa, according to the local fire department of Wajima City.
Predicted waves of up to 3 metres
Japanese broadcaster NHK predicted waves of up to 3 metres in height and advised individuals to evacuate as soon as possible to elevated areas or the peaks of adjacent structures.
It anticipated that tsunami waves would continue to return and that additional powerful earthquakes would strike the region in the coming days. Over eighty earthquakes shook the area.
Initially, the broadcaster issued a warning that the waves could attain a height of 5 metres.
Residents are advised to vacate
After the quake, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged residents at risk of a tsunami to evacuate promptly.
Residents must remain vigilant for additional potential earthquakes, and I urge individuals residing in tsunami-prone areas to evacuate immediately, he advised.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, a spokesman for the government, stated that it was critical for coastal residents to evacuate in anticipation of the approaching tsunami.
“Each minute is critical.” “Please evacuate immediately to a safe location,” he instructed.
“We have not yet determined when we will return home.”
Ayako Daikai, a local in Kanazawa, a popular tourist destination in Ishikawa, stated that she and her husband and children had immediately evacuated to a nearby school following the earthquake.
Evacuees filled every available space in the school, including classrooms, stairwells, corridors, and the gymnasium, she told Reuters.
She stated, “Having also been affected by the Great Hanshin Earthquake, I determined that it was prudent to evacuate.” We have not yet made a decision regarding our return date.
No reported irregularities at nuclear power facilities
The region’s nuclear power facilities have not reported any anomalies, according to the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan.
More than 36,000 households in the prefectures of Ishikawa and Toyama experienced power outages, according to utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power.
Japanese airline ANA has rerouted aircraft bound for airports in Toyama and Ishikawa. Halting Ishikawa high-speed rail services and cancelling the majority of Japan Airlines’ services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions occurred.
A tsunami might persist for days
A tsunami could last for two days, according to one expert. Mohammad Heidarzadeh, secretary general of the Joint Tsunami Commission, stated that the natural disaster’s location in the Sea of Japan—an almost entirely enclosed basin—could result in “long-lasting oscillations.”
He explained that this would result in the possibility of significant waves for two days, followed by a clear impact on countries such as Russia, North Korea, and South Korea. I would say that we have only just begun a catastrophe.
North Korea and Russia both issue tsunami alerts
North Korea issued tsunami warnings for its east coast, whereas Russia issued warnings for portions of the western coast of Sakhalin island and the mainland communities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka, which are located near Japan on Russia’s eastern coast.
One-meter-tall waves reached the east coast of South Korea, and the country’s meteorological agency predicts that more and larger waves may arrive in the coming hours.
Extremely prone to earthquakes is Japan.** A significant earthquake and tsunami struck the Fukushima nuclear power facility in March 2011, resulting in meltdowns.
