Japan hit by earthquake

Post Reply New Topic

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan on Monday afternoon, triggering tsunami waves and causing damage to roads, power, transport services and infrastructure.

Japanese officials warned residents in affected areas to evacuate to higher ground, as 1,000 military personnel from the Self-Defense Forces were dispatched to aid rescue and recovery efforts.

Earthquake hits The quake, which had a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), hit at 4:10 p.m. local time around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, according to the United States Geological Survey. Several aftershocks were reported in western Japan, USGS said, including a 6.2 magnitude aftershock around 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) southwest of Anamizu.

Tsunami warnings:Authorities issued tsunami warnings to residents of western Japan. Tsunami warnings are issued when waves are expected to be up to 3 meters (9.8 feet). Tsunami waves of around 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) were reported in Wajima City, Japanese public broadcaster NKH said. In Toyama City and surrounding areas, waves of less than 1 meter were reported, while the city of Noto remained under a tsunami warning.

Damage to infrastructure:The earthquake on Monday sliced through highways in western Japan, collapsed buildings, caused blazes and disrupted communications. As many as 33,000 households may be affected by power outages, said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa, according to NHK.

Transport disruption:At least five highways have been closed and several flights canceled across airports in Ishikawa prefecture. Two flights were canceled at Noto Airport, where there is a crack on the runway. A flight from Tokyo landed earlier but turned back to the capital. There were 15 cancelations at Komatsu Airport. Schools were not in session, but 21 school facilities are being formed into evacuation centers.

Rescue and recovery efforts:At least 8,500 military personnel are on standby to help with emergency efforts following the quake, said Japan's Defense Minister Minoru Kihara. Health officials in Suzu City said some doctors could not treat wounded patients because damaged roads mean they are unable to travel to work.

Scenes of trapped residents: Civilians screamed in videos posted to social media after entire homes were flattened in western Japan. In another video, people crouched under tables at a local bowling alley, where tremors shook the infrastructure and TV screens could be seen shaking from the ceiling. "My city is in a terrible state," one person said in a video posted from Noto. "I hope there is no fire."

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit western Japan on Monday, killing at least 48 people and triggering fire, power outages and demolishing buildings.

The big picture: Rescue crews were searching for survivors on Tuesday morning local time after the quake hit Ishikawa Prefecture's Noto Peninsula the previous afternoon, prompting officials to order the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents along the coast.

State of play: Officials in Ishikawa Prefecture confirmed at least 48 deaths and 16 injuries, per multiple reports.

There were "numerous" reports of people injured and trapped, the Wajima Fire Department told AFP. The firefighters were working to put out a blaze in Wajima City, the largest city in the Okunoto region that extends into the Sea of Japan.

Electricity is out for more than 30,000 households in Ishikawa and neighboring Niigata Prefecture, while almost 20,000 homes across four prefectures lacked running water, government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said, according to the New York Times.

Hayashi added that over 57,300 people were evacuated from their homes to 1,000 different facilities in the affected prefectures.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no impact to nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan.

By the numbers: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a press conference Tuesday that 1,000 members of Japan's Self-Defense Forces have been deployed to provide relief to the affected region.

Over 2,600 rescue and fire service personnel have also arrived, he added.

With the tsunami warning downgraded, Kishida said the government has been working to organize sea transports to get supplies and additional personnel to the area.

What's next: The area could expect quake aftershocks over the next few days as crews work to rescue and rebuild.