30 injured as M7.5 quake hits northeastern Japan
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture late Monday night, injuring 30 people and triggering tsunami waves up to 70 centimeters along the Pacific coast, according to government officials, Qazinform News Agency learnt from Kyodo.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. at a depth of 54 kilometers. It warned that another tremor of equal or greater strength could follow in the coming days, marking the first time such an alert has been issued for Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to stay alert, secure furniture, and be prepared to evacuate immediately if shaking is felt. “The government asks residents to continue social and economic activities while maintaining readiness to evacuate,” she told reporters.
As a result, injuries were reported in Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido. Around 2,700 homes lost power in Aomori.
Tsunami warnings were downgraded to advisories and lifted by 6:20 a.m. Tuesday.
Seismic intensity reached upper 6 on Japan’s 7-point scale in parts of Aomori, a level at which standing or walking is nearly impossible.
The quake struck along the trench off Hokkaido and northeastern Japan, where the Pacific plate subducts beneath Honshu, a zone known for producing major earthquakes. The JMA estimates a 1-in-100 chance of an M8 or stronger quake within seven days.
Earlier it was reported, a powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck northeastern Japan late Monday night, with the meteorological agency issuing a tsunami warning for coastal areas of Hokkaido as well as Aomori and Iwate prefectures.