A massive magnitude-7.6 earthquake has struck Ishikawa Prefecture, in central Japan, along the Japan Sea coast. People in those areas are advised to evacuate immediately.
A massive earthquake has struck Ishikawa Prefecture of central Japan. A tsunami warning has been issued for Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa prefectures of the Japan Sea side of the country. People in these area must evacuate immediately.
This is the first time a “major tsunami warning” was issued since the 2011 earthquake in northeastern Japan. The warning is issued when tsunami of 3 meters or more are expected.
According to NHK Tsunami advisories have been issued for the remaining prefectures on the Japan Sea Coast.
The city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, has observed a tsunami of more than 1.2 meters at 4:21 p.m. on Monday following the quake.
The city of Toyama, Toyama prefecture, also reported a tsunami of 80 centimeters at 4:35 p.m.
The city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture has observed 70 centimeters, and Okushiri Island in Hokkaido observed tsunami of 50 centimeters.
The port of Kashiwazaki in Niigata Prefecture and Tobishima Island off Sakata city, Yamagata Prefecture observed tsunami of 40 centimeters at 4:36 p.m.
The tsunamis are expected to repeatedly hit the coast and may become higher. People in those areas must evacuate immediately and escape to higher ground to stay far away as possible from the coast.
Reports of damages brought about by the massive quake are coming in.
Firefighters in Wajima City say a blaze broke out in the center of the city. Video footage shows massive fire in the area.
An official at a hospital in Suzu City in Ishikawa Prefecture says people who were injured in the earthquake have been transported there. Some doctors have been unable to reach the hospital as the roads have been damaged. The official also says the hospital is operating with a spare generator as power has been cut.
Police in the city of Himi in Toyama Prefecture say that they have received reports of cracks in roads at several locations as of 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
An official at the municipality of Oyabe, also in Toyama Prefecture, received several reports of broken water pipes as of 4:35 p.m.
Officials of Ishikawa Prefecture’s Suzu City say they have confirmed several houses and power poles have collapsed following a magnitude 7.4 quake Monday afternoon. A quake with an intensity of upper six on the Japanese intensity scale of 0 to seven was observed in the city.
A guard at the city office in Ishikawa’s Wajima City, which also registered an intensity of upper six, says all the shelves in the office collapsed.
The guard says the building was not largely damaged, but the ground in front of it and several buildings fell down.