TOKYO — A powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring at least 23 people and generating a small tsunami along the Pacific coast, authorities said. Officials warned of possible aftershocks and a slightly heightened risk of a larger quake in the coming days.
The earthquake hit at around 11:15 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, about 80 kilometers off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island. Government agencies continued assessing damage from the quake and the resulting tsunami late into the night.
In Hachinohe, convenience store owner Nobuo Yamada told public broadcaster NHK that the shaking was the strongest he had ever felt. He said power lines in his area remained intact.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported tsunami waves of up to 70 centimeters in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture. Coastal communities in the region experienced waves reaching up to 50 centimeters. The agency initially issued alerts for possible surges of up to 3 meters, which were later downgraded to an advisory.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 23 people were injured, including one seriously. Many were struck by falling objects. NHK reported that several guests at a Hachinohe hotel were hurt, while a man in Tohoku suffered minor injuries when his car fell into a hole.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara urged residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground or stay in evacuation centers until advisories were lifted. Around 800 homes lost electricity, and Shinkansen bullet trains, along with several local lines, were temporarily suspended.
Nuclear facilities in the region conducted safety checks. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said about 450 liters of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori but added that levels remained within normal range and posed no safety concern.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said about 480 residents sought shelter at Hachinohe Air Base, and 18 defense helicopters were deployed to survey damage. NHK reported that around 200 passengers were stranded overnight at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.
The meteorological agency cautioned that aftershocks could occur in the coming days. It noted a slight increase in the risk of a magnitude 8-level earthquake and tsunami along Japan’s northeastern coast, from Chiba to Hokkaido. Residents in 182 municipalities were urged to review their emergency plans.
Hachinohe high school vice principal Satoshi Kato told NHK that he rushed to the school after the quake struck because it was designated as an evacuation center. On the way, he saw traffic jams and accidents as people fled.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force to assess the situation. She urged residents to stay alert, monitor official updates, and be ready to evacuate at the first sign of shaking.
The quake struck north of the area devastated by the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 people and caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Satoshi Harada of the meteorological agency said residents should remain prepared in case a similar disaster occurs again.
Tsunami advisories for northern Japan’s Pacific coast were lifted at 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, according to NHK.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a separate magnitude 5.1 quake early Tuesday, located about 122 kilometers south of Honcho at a depth of 35 kilometers. Further details were not immediately available.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
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