Japan Issues Tsunami Warning After 7.6 Magnitude Earthquake off Northeastern Coast
sunami warnings were issued in Japan on Dec. 8 after a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook the country’s northeast region.
Warnings and instructions to evacuate were given for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate, while a tsunami of 40 cm (just under 16 inches) had been observed at Aomori’s Mutsu Ogawara and Hokkaido’s Urakawa ports before midnight, JMA added.
The quake’s epicenter was located 50 miles off the coast of Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 30 miles, the agency added.
On Japan’s 1–7 scale of seismic intensity, it registered a “6+” in Aomori prefecture, meaning it was strong enough to make it impossible to stand or move without crawling.
During such quakes, most heavy furniture can collapse, and wall tiles and windowpanes are damaged in many buildings.
“In areas that experienced strong shaking, there is an increased risk of house collapses and landslides, so please pay close attention to future seismic activity and rainfall conditions, and take measures to ensure your own safety, such as not entering dangerous areas unless there is unavoidable reason to do so.”
“Even after the tsunami arrives, the second and third waves may become larger and reach the area, so please pay close attention to tsunami information and do not leave safe locations until the warning is lifted.”
In a related statement, Takaichi said, “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can.”
Earthquakes in areas with nuclear power plants have been a major concern in Japan since a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
