1/1/2024–|Last Updated: 1/1/202412:46 AM (Makkah Time)
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck north-central Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami warning for the coastal areas of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama prefectures in the Sea of Japan on the island of Honshu.
At 16:21 local time (07:21 GMT), waves up to 1.2 meters hit Wajima Port in Ishikawa, the agency said.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the west #Japan . Damage reports are coming in pic.twitter.com/XMMEG8zcR6
— Bikash Kumar Jha (@bikash_jha_) January 1, 2024
The agency said tsunami waves of about 5 meters were believed to have reached Noto in the same province.
Local media reported that the Hokuriku Electric Company is inspecting its nuclear power plants for any defects.
— リョーサン🦊 Expanding Sea♠ (@Ave_Maria_h) January 1, 2024
Power shortage
The strong quake left about 33,500 homes without power in areas around the epicenter, mainly in Toyama, Ishikawa and Niigata prefectures.
Major highways were also closed in the area near the quake, and Shinkansen bullet train services between Tokyo and the heart of Ishikawa's Noto district were suspended, according to the Japan Railway Administration.
On the other hand, a state of “alarm” has been declared in cities in Russia's Far East due to the risk of a tsunami, and no evacuation measures have been taken yet.
“Tsunami waves may affect beaches on Sakhalin's western coast,” the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said via Telegram. Vladivostok authorities advised fishermen to return to port.
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