At least 30 individuals sustained injuries following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck north-eastern Japan on Monday night, prompting the evacuation of thousands from their residences.
The earthquake took place at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50km (31mi), approximately 80km offshore from the Aomori region, as reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Tsunami warnings were issued but have since been canceled, although waves measuring 70cm (27in) were observed.
Numerous train services have been halted, leaving thousands of homes powerless due to the incident.
Officials have additionally cautioned that a more powerful quake may take place in the upcoming days, urging citizens to remain vigilant for at least a week, according to local media.
In a statement to those affected by the earthquake, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi remarked: “Please review your earthquake preparedness for daily life, such as securing your furniture, and be ready to evacuate without delay if you sense shaking.”
Evacuation orders were issued for approximately 90,000 residents, as per reports from Reuters news agency.
The Aomori prefectural government indicated that around 2,700 households had lost power. East Japan Railway has also suspended various services along the north-eastern coast.
According to chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara, the Japanese government has established a response office within the prime minister’s crisis management center and gathered an emergency team.
“We are exerting every effort to evaluate the damage and launch emergency disaster response initiatives, including rescue and aid operations,” he stated.
After the tremors, Japanese power utility Tohoku Electric Power announced that no irregularities were detected at its Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear power facilities following the earthquake.
The same was true for the disabled Fukushima nuclear power station site, as communicated by Japanese authorities to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Fukushima experienced damage from a 9.0 magnitude quake that occurred off the eastern coastline of the country on March 11, 2011.
This quake, the most intense ever documented in Japan, instigated a tsunami that inundated the main island of Honshu, resulting in the deaths of over 18,000 individuals and erasing entire towns from the map.
Japan ranks among the most seismically active countries globally.
Situated on the Ring of Fire, it undergoes around 1,500 earthquakes annually.
Earlier this year, Japan’s earthquake investigation panel stated that there is a 60-90% probability that a megaquake would happen in the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years, with dire scenarios foreseeing damage in the trillions and potentially resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
Quakes along the Nankai Trough—an area characterized by seismic activity running the length of Japan’s Pacific coast—have previously caused thousands of fatalities.
