A tsunami warning has been issued in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture, as reported by national broadcaster NHK.
A series of earthquakes, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6, struck the country’s west. The Japan Meteorological Agency extended the tsunami warning to coastal regions of Niigata and Toyama prefectures.
NHK TV cautioned that torrents of water reaching up to 5 meters high could occur and urged people to evacuate to higher ground or the top of nearby buildings promptly.
According to NHK, a tsunami with a height of 1.2 meters reached Wajima city in Ishikawa, and another measuring 40cm was recorded at Kashizawaki city. Damage reports were not immediately available, but unverified footage on X showed water surging up a canal in Ishikawa prefecture.
South Korea’s meteorological agency stated that sea levels off its eastern province of Gangwon might rise due to the earthquakes. Hokuriku Electric Power Company reported power outages for over 36,000 houses after the quakes.
While the earthquake-affected area includes a nuclear plant, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary assured that there were no irregularities at any plants following the quakes. The official urged continued evacuation and cautioned residents to prepare for possible further quakes.
The reminder of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan in 2011, which resulted in significant loss of life and triggered nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima, adds gravity to the current situation.
