Powerful quake triggers tsunami warning for Japan’s northeastern coast.
A massive seismic event struck off the coast of northern Japan late Monday night, forcing authorities to issue urgent tsunami warnings for several prefectures. TheJapan earthquake, estimated at a magnitude of 7.6, has put the nation on high alert as meteorologists warn of potentially dangerous waves approaching the shoreline.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the powerful tremor struck at 11:15 p.m. local time (14:15 GMT). The agency immediately issued tsunami warnings for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate. Officials have stated that waves as high as three meters could inundate the northeastern coast, urging residents in affected areas to move to higher ground immediately.
Government Response and Emergency Measures
In response to the crisis, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addressed the media briefly, confirming that the government is prioritizing public safety above all else. An emergency task force has been established to assess the scale of the destruction and coordinate rescue efforts.
"We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can," Prime Minister Takaichi stated.
The epicenter of the quake was located approximately 80 kilometers off the coast of Aomori prefecture at a depth of 50 kilometers. The JMA has cautioned that the danger is not yet over, warning citizens that strong aftershocks or even fresh earthquakes could occur in the coming days.
Intensity and Impact
The intensity of the tremor was registered as an "upper 6" on Japan’s seismic scale of 1 to 7. An earthquake of this magnitude makes it nearly impossible for a person to remain standing; movement is often restricted to crawling. Such violent shaking typically causes heavy furniture to topple and can shatter windows and wall tiles.
Rail services have been disrupted, with East Japan Railway suspending operations in areas that were previously devastated by the tragic 2011 earthquake.
Nuclear Safety Confirmed
Despite the severity of theJapan earthquake, utility companies Tohoku Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power have reported that there are no irregularities at nuclear power plants in the region. While Tohoku Electric initially reported power outages affecting thousands of homes, updated reports indicate the number of affected households has dropped to the hundreds.
Japan remains one of the most seismically active nations globally, located along the unstable "Ring of Fire." This geological zone accounts for roughly 20% of the world's earthquakes that register a magnitude of 6.0 or higher.
