The Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday tsunami warnings issued for different coastal regions. Just after 4 p.m. local time, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 occurred. Dozens of aftershocks with a magnitude of 4 or higher then occurred. Ishikawa Prefecture, located near the epicenter of the major quake, was given the strongest possible warning. Residents are being urged to evacuate to higher areas, international news agencies report.
According to a government spokesperson, tidal waves up to five meters high can occur. A tidal wave of 120 centimeters has already been observed in the central coastal town of Wajima, broadcaster NHK reports. A wave of about half a meter was seen in southern Toyama. More than 36,000 households in Ishikawa and Toyama were without power, the local power supplier reported. No damage has yet been reported to nuclear power plants in the affected regions.
Also warnings in North and South Korea
The governments of South Korea and North Korea, located on the other side of the Sea of Japan, have also issued tsunami warnings. According to the North Korean Yonhap news, waves of more than two meters have already reached the coast of the peninsula. The Japan Meteorological Agency said at a nationally broadcast news conference that more earthquakes may occur in the coming days, especially in the next two or three days.
In 2011, Japan was hit by a major tsunami following an 8.9 magnitude earthquake. Thousands of people were killed and the Daiichi nuclear power plant near Fukushima was damaged. Waves reached the cooling systems of the nuclear power plant after which a meltdown in the three nuclear reactors.
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