Tokyo: A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday, as authorities urged residents to stay away from coastal areas where tsunami waves of up to three metres were expected.
The tremor had an epicentre in the Pacific Ocean and was 10 kilometres deep, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The biggest waves were forecast to hit Iwate and Aomori prefectures at the top of Japan’s main Honshu island, and the northern island of Hokkaido, authorities said.
In the hour following the earthquake, which struck at 4.52pm (5.52pm AEST), tsunami waves as high as 80 centimetres had been detected, while warnings remained for waves as high as three metres.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety.
“Possible damage and casualties are now being looked into,” Takaichi said at her offices in Tokyo.
Big aftershocks may occur in following days and weeks, an official from Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) said at a separate televised press conference. Ships sailed out of Hachinohe port in Hokkaido in anticipation of the waves, footage aired on NHK showed, as a “Tsunami! Evacuate!” alert flashed across the screen.
A three-metre tsunami could cause damage to low-lying areas, flooding buildings, and anybody exposed would be caught in its currents, according to JMA.
Bullet train services in Aomori were halted due to the tremors, Kyodo news agency reported.
The quake measured an “upper five” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale – strong enough to make it difficult for people to move around. In many cases, unreinforced concrete-block walls collapse.
Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. Located in the “Ring of Fire” of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20 per cent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more.
There are no nuclear power plants currently in operation in the affected areas and Hokkaido Electric Power Co and Tohoku Electric Power Co said there were no abnormalities reported at their idled facilities there.
More to come.
Reuters
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