Mighty earthquake rocks Japan. Coastal areas evacuated

Earthquake rocks Japan

The USGS has reported a strong earthquake in Japan on Monday. It occurred on January 1, 2024, at 1:10 UTC (4:10 p.m. native time in Japan). The earthquake struck in central Japan. It set off tsunami warnings for some elements of Japan’s west coast. Reuters reported one hour in the past (12 UTC or 6 a.m. central time on January 1) that it:

… [knocked] out energy to hundreds of houses and [disrupted] flights and rail companies to the affected area.

The quake … triggered waves of round 1 meter alongside elements of the Sea of Japan coast with a bigger wave anticipated, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Native media stories mentioned it was the primary time a “main tsunami warning” had been issued since March 11, 2011, when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck in northeastern Japan, creating large waves. The 2011 earthquake was preceded by a number of foreshocks, together with a magnitude-7.2 occasion centered roughly 25 miles (40 km) away from the epicenter of the primary quake, in keeping with Britannica.com.

Evacuations ordered

The BBC reported:

Japan has urged residents to ‘evacuate instantly’ after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the central area.

A significant tsunami warning was issued for the coastal Noto space in Ishikawa, warning of waves as excessive as 5 meters (16 toes).

Authorities additionally issued tsunami warnings for the neighboring Niigata and Toyama prefectures, the place they mentioned waves may attain 3 meters.

Public tv flashed EVACUATE in large letters, urging residents to flee to increased floor regardless of the chilly.

Backside line: A strong earthquake – magnitude 7.5 in keeping with USGS – struck Japan on Monday. The quake prompted sturdy tsunami warnings.