Japan issued tsunami alerts on Monday after the country was hit by a series of strong earthquakes, one of which was recorded at a magnitude of 7.5.
Emergency services have rushed to rescue people trapped under rubble, with Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, saying that “many” buildings had collapsed.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quakes hit Ishikawa and nearby north-central prefectures, prompting the authorities to issue major tsunami warnings in the area and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the northwestern coast of the island of Honshu.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 16.5ft (5m) and urged people to flee to high land or the tops of nearby buildings as quickly as possible.
Kansai Electric said it was monitoring a nuclear plant in the quake area but that it did not yet see any signs of abnormalities.
South Korea’s meteorological agency also issued a warning saying the sea level in some parts of the Gangwon province on the east coast may rise after the Japanese earthquake.
Key Points
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Japan says 5 metre tsunami expected after 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Ishikawa
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Authorities still assessing extent of damage as over 36,000 homes lose power
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No irregularities at nuclear power plants along Sea of Japan
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Government advises residents to evacuate to safe areas
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Tsunami warnings issued in Russia and North Korea
No irregularities confirmed at Japan’s nuclear power stations
15:27 , Holly Evans
The quake comes at a sensitive time for Japan’s nuclear industry, which has faced fierce opposition from some locals since a 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima. Nearly 20,000 people were killed and whole towns devastated in the disaster.
Japan last week lifted an operational ban imposed on the world’s biggest nuclear plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, which has been offline since the 2011 tsunami.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities have been confirmed at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Powers Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture.
Hokuriku’s Shika plant in Ishikawa, the closest nuclear power station to the quake’s epicentre, had already halted its two reactors before the quake for regular inspections and saw no impact from the quake, the agency said.
Watch: Earthquake scares passengers at train station
15:03 , Holly Evans
More than 80 earthquakes recorded in Japan
15:00 , Holly Evans
More than 80 earthquakes have been recorded across the country, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The quakes have been near-continuous and range in magnitude from 3 to 7.6.
Residents unsure when to return home after being evacuated
14:51 , Holly Evans
In Kanazawa, a popular tourist destination in Ishikawa, images showed the remnants of a shattered stone gate strewn at the entrance of a shrine as anxious worshippers looked on.
Kanazawa resident Ayako Daikai said she had evacuated to a nearby elementary school with her husband and two children soon after the earthquake hit. Classrooms, stairwells, hallways and the gymnasium were all packed with evacuees, she said.
“We haven’t decided when to return home yet,” she said.
Two people confirmed dead after earthquakes
14:32 , Holly Evans
Two people have been confirmed dead in Japan after the earthquakes, state broadcaster NHK has reported.
The circumstances of their deaths were not disclosed, while the emergency services are dealing with a number of others remain trapped under collapsed buildings.
Over 36,000 homes are also without power, with temperatures expected to drop to freezing this evening.
Tsunamis still being recorded as people told to remain evacuated
14:17 , Holly Evans
Japan’s meteorological agency has urged people to remain evacuated and have said that tsunamis are still being recorded.
Emergency services are currently dealing with at least 30 collapsed buildings with six reports of people being trapped under the rubble.
More than 36,000 homes lose power as rail services suspended
14:00 , Holly Evans
Images carried by local media showed a building collapsing in a plume of dust in the coastal city of Suzu and a huge crack in a road in Wajima where panicked-looking parents clutched their children. There have been reports of at least 30 collapsed buildings in Wajima, NHK reported, citing the city’s fire department.
The quake also jolted buildings in the capital Tokyo, some 500 km from Wajima on the opposite coast.
More than 36,000 households had lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.
High speed rail services to Ishikawa have been suspended while telecom operators Softbank and KDDI reported phone and internet service disruptions in Ishikawa and Niigata, according to their websites.
Japanese airline ANA turned back planes headed to airports in Toyama and Ishikawa, while Japan Airlines cancelled most of its services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions and authorities said one of Ishikawa’s airports was closed.
Fire department receives 30 reports of collapsed buildings
13:30 , Holly Evans
The Wajima City Fire Department in Ishikawa says it has received at least 30 reports of buildings collapsing.
While the “major tsunami warning” for the Ishikawa Prefecture has been downgraded to a “tsunami warning”, officials are still urging caution, with people in the area being asked to evacuate.
“Run!” a bright yellow warning flashed across television screens advising residents in specific areas of the coast to immediately evacuate their homes
Army units dispatched to help with rescue operations as houses destroyed
13:15 , Holly Evans
Several houses have been destroyed and army units have been dispatched to help with rescue operations, top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, adding that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage.
More strong quakes in the area, where seismic activity has been simmering for more than three years, could occur over coming days, JMA official Toshihiro Shimoyama said.
In comments to the press shortly after the quake struck, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also warned residents to prepare for more disasters.
“Residents need to stay on alert for further possible quakes and I urge people in areas where tsunamis are expected to evacuate as soon as possible,” Kishida said.
Latest picture from Japan show evacuation of residents
12:54 , Holly Evans
Japan earthquake mapped: Series of powerful tremors triggers tsunami warnings across region
12:39 , Holly Evans
Japan is on high alert after a series of powerful earthquakes, including one registering as magnitude 7.6, rattled north-central parts of the country on New Year’s Day.
The earthquakes have triggered a number of tsunami warnings with 3ft (1m) waves already slamming the west coast along the Sea of Japan, with larger waves as high as 10ft expected.
A succession of 30 earthquakes, each registering between 4 to 6.2, hit central Japan in the span of just 90 minutes on Monday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.
Read the full article here
Series of earthquakes triggers tsunami warnings in Japan – mapped
North and South Korea brace for tsunami after Japan quake
12:24 , Holly Evans
A tsunami measuring under one metre (3.3 ft) reached South Korea’s east coast in the wake of a massive earthquake that hit Japan on Monday, South Korea’s meteorological agency said, which added there may be more and larger waves in the next hours.
The first tsunami to reach South Korea’s coast was 67 cm (2.2 ft) but it may increase in size after the initial waves and may continue for more than 24 hours, the meteorological agency said
Separately, North Korea issued tsunami warnings for its coast of possible waves of more than 2 metres, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing the North’s state radio.
South Korea’s Gangwon province warned residents to take precautions and evacuate to higher ground, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety.
The east coast province told residents in emergency messages to stay away from the coast and evacuate to higher ground. The city of Samcheok advised residents to move to areas higher than a three-storey building, the ministry said.
Japan downgrades major tsunami warning for Noto region
12:14 , Holly Evans
Japan has downgraded its “major tsunami warning” for the Noto region to a lower level “tsunami warning”, Reuters has reported.
Tsunami warnings also remain in place for the neighbouring Niigata and Toyama prefectures.
When officials issued the major alert earlier, it was the first time they had done so since the 2011 earthquake in Japan which killed nearly 20,000 people.
Aerial photos show scale of fire in coastal city
12:01 , Holly Evans
A huge fire has been seen burning in Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture following the earthquake, with emergency services also dealing with six cases of people being buried under rubble in the city.
Passengers run for cover as train station shakes and water pours through ceiling
11:47 , Holly Evans
Japan earthquake: Passengers run for cover as train station shakes
In video: Moment powerful earthquake hits Japan
11:13 , Namita Singh
Bullet train suspended in parts of Japan
11:05 , Namita Singh
Bullet train services have been suspended in central and eastern Japan after the earthquake, reported the Kyodo news agency. Parts of the highway were also closed, and water pipes had burst, according to NHK.
Some cell phone services in the region weren’t working.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said in a nationally broadcast news conference that more major quakes could hit the area over the next week, especially in the next two or three days.
More than a dozen strong quakes have been detected in the region so far today, risking landslides and houses collapsing, according to the agency.
More than a dozen quakes hit Japan, damaging properties
10:57 , Namita Singh
Japan issued tsunami alerts and ordered evacuations following a series of earthquakes on Monday that started a fire and trapped people under rubble on the west coast of its main island.
The Japan Meterological Agency reported more than a dozen quakes off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4pm, one of them with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6.
At least six homes were damaged by the quakes, with people trapped inside. A fire has broken out in Wajima city, Ishikawa Prefecture, and electricity is out for more than 30,000 households, government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said.
He said no reports of deaths or injuries had been confirmed, saying the situation was still unclear. Japan’s military was taking part in the rescue efforts, he said.
Japanese media footage showed people running through the streets, and red smoke spewing from a fire in a residential neighborhood. Photos showed a crowd of people, including a woman with a baby on her back, standing by huge cracks that had ripped through the pavement.
Russia declares tsunami warnings in far eastern regions – agencies
10:42 , Namita Singh
Parts of Sakhalin island’s western coast and the mainland Primorsk and Khabarovsk regions, which are situated close to Japan on Russia’s Pacific seaboard, are under threat of tsunami, state news agency TASS reported on Monday, citing officials.
A massive earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck central Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami warning and advisories for residents to evacuate.
Russian media cited authorities in the Primorsk region port city of Vladivostok as saying that anyone sailing in local waters should “urgently return to the shore”.
TASS cited authorities in Sakhalin and Khabarovsk regions as saying that the wave would not be life threatening.
It also quoted Russia’s emergencies ministries as denying earlier reports that an evacuation of the population of at-risk areas on Sakhalin was underway.
South Korea’s east coast braces for tsunami after massive Japan quake
10:41 , Namita Singh
The first tsunami reached South Korea’s east coast at 09.21 GMT (6.21pm local time) at a height of 1.5 ft in the wake of a massive earthquake that hit Japan on Monday, South Korea’s meteorological agency said.
The tsunami can grow after the initial waves and may continue for more than 24 hours, the agency said in an advisory.
South Korea’s Gangwon province warned residents to take precautions and evacuate to higher ground, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety.
The city of Samcheok advised residents to move to areas higher than a three-storey building, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said.
Largest earthquake on Noto peninsula since records began
10:19 , Namita Singh
Monday’s earthquake magnitude of 7.6 was the largest recorded in the Noto peninsula region of Ishikawa since 1885, when data became available, said an official from Japan’s meteorological agency.
Figures for the earthquake’s magnitude differ slightly from agency to agency, with the US Geological Survey still registering it as 7.5, while elsewhere it was initially recorded at 7.4.
First major tsunami warning since 2011 Fukushima disaster
10:08 , Shweta Sharma
Today’s major tsunami warning is the first at this level issued since the Fukushima disaster in March 2011, Japan’s metrological agency officials said.
They also said that it was the first time in the history of Ishikawa prefecture that an earthquake with a seismic intensity of 7 or more was recorded.
People experiencing a tsunami of over 1 metre are considered “highly likely to be unable to stand, with possibility of death,” according to the agency.
South Korea’s eastern province begins evacuations
10:00 , Shweta Sharma
South Korea’s eastern Gangwon province has asked people in coastal areas to evacuate amid the threat of tsunami waves after a massive earthquake hit Japan, according to Yonhap.
Residents have been urged to evacuate to higher grounds.
The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued a tsunami warning and said sea levels are expected to rise in parts of the East Sea.
The KMA said the tsunami could reach the coast off the eastern city of Gangneung by 6.29pm local time and the southeastern town of Pohang by 7.17pm.
Russia declares tsunami warnings in far eastern regions
09:44 , Shweta Sharma
Russia has issued tsunami warnings for parts of the island which are situated close to Japan on Russia’s Pacific seaboard, state news agency TASS reported on Monday, citing officials.
Parts of Sakhalin island’s western coast and the mainland cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka are under a threat of tsumani, it said.
It is not clear if evacuation of the population of at-risk areas on Sakhalin was underway.
Tsunami higher than 1.2m observed in Ishikawa
09:31 , Namita Singh
Tsunami waves higher than 1.2m have been observed in Noto, Ishikawa prefecture, said Japan’s meteorological agency official.
Officials also warned of the risk of fires and landslides in areas hit by strong quakes.
Special emergency centre to relay tsunami updates to residents
09:21 , Namita Singh
The Japanese government has set up a special emergency centre to gather information on the quakes and tsunami and relay them to residents to ensure their safety, prime minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.
He reiterated a warning for the immediate evacuation of affected areas.
Japan is an extremely earthquake-prone nation. In March 2011, a major quake and tsunami caused meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
NHK TV footage showed a room shaken by the quake, with hanging laundry swaying from side to side and a computer on a desk rattling.
NHK reported that some electric poles were toppled and roads were cracked but reports of major damage were not immediately available.
Tsunami warnings issued in Russia and North Korea
09:06 , Namita Singh
Warnings of waves up to 3ft high were also issued for parts of North Korea and Russia.
Russian officials issued a tsunami alert for the island of Sakhalin, warning that areas across the island’s west coast could be affected by the waves.
In pictures: Cracks seen on the ground in Ishikawa prefecture
09:05 , Namita Singh
Government advises residents to evacuate to safe areas
09:04 , Namita Singh
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said it was critical for people in coastal areas to get away from the oncoming tsunami.
“Every minute counts. Please evacuate to a safe area immediately,” he said.
A tsunami about 10ft (3m) high was expected to hit Niigata and other prefectures on the western coast of Japan. Smaller tsunami waves were already confirmed to have reached the coastline, according to NHK.
No irregularities at nuclear power plants along Sea of Japan
08:59 , Namita Singh
Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities have been confirmed at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture.
Hokuriku’s Shika plant in Ishikawa, which was located the closest to the quake’s epicentre, had already halted its two reactors before the quake for regular inspection and saw no impact from the quake, the agency said.
A huge earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011, killing nearly 20,000 people, devastating towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.
Authorities still assessing extent of damage as over 36,000 homes lose power
08:48 , Namita Singh
Authorities were still checking the extent of the damage, said top government spokesperson Hayashi Yoshimasa said in an emergency press conference as he warned residents to prepare for possible further quakes.
Footage aired by NHK appeared to show buildings collapsing in Ishikawa, and tremors shook buildings in the capital Tokyo on the opposite coast.
More than 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.
In video: Major tsunami warning issued after powerful tremors hit Ishikawa
08:43 , Namita Singh
Japan says 5 metre tsunami expected after 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Ishikawa
08:22 , Namita Singh
Japan has issued a major tsunami warning for its northern coastal regions after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Ishikawa province on Monday.
The tsunami warning has been issued for the coastal regions of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama prefectures, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
People living in coastal areas have been urged to quickly evacuate as waves of up to 5 metres are expected to slam the shoreline, public broadcaster NHK said, and to remain in place until all warnings are lifted.
My colleague Shweta Sharma reports:
Japan warns of major tsunami as 7.5 magnitude earthquake hits Ishikawa
08:05 , Namita Singh
Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog for 1 January 2024, where we provide the latest on the tsunami warning issued in Japan after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake.
