Japan Shaken by Major 7.5 Quake, At Least 30 Injured

At least 30 people were injured after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck northeastern Japan on Monday night, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake occurred at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50 kilometers (31 miles), roughly 80 kilometers off the coast of Aomori Prefecture. Tsunami warnings were issued but later lifted, although waves as high as 70 centimeters (27 inches) were recorded.

Train services have been suspended, and many households are facing power outages as a result of the quake.

Officials warned that a stronger earthquake could occur in the coming days, advising the public to remain vigilant for at least a week, according to local media.

In a message to those affected, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized the importance of reviewing earthquake preparedness measures, such as securing furniture and being ready to evacuate if strong tremors occur.

Reuters reported that evacuation orders were issued to approximately 90,000 people.

The Aomori prefectural government said around 2,700 households are currently without power. East Japan Railway has also suspended several services along the northeastern coast.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara announced that the government has set up a response office within the prime minister’s crisis management center and formed an emergency task force.

“We are working to assess the damage and implement emergency disaster-response measures, including rescue and aid operations,” he said.

Following the quake, Tohoku Electric Power confirmed that the Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear power plants showed no abnormalities. Authorities also reported no issues at the decommissioned Fukushima nuclear power plant and informed the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Fukushima suffered massive destruction when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the eastern coast on March 11, 2011. That quake, the strongest ever recorded in Japan, triggered a tsunami that inundated parts of Honshu, killing more than 18,000 people and wiping out entire communities.

Japan is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Located along the Ring of Fire, the nation experiences around 1,500 earthquakes each year.

Earlier this year, Japan’s earthquake research committee estimated a 60–90% probability of a major earthquake striking the Nankai Trough within the next three decades. Worst-case scenarios project trillions of dollars in damage and potentially hundreds of thousands of fatalities.

The Nankai Trough, a highly active seismic zone along Japan’s Pacific coast, has already been the source of numerous deadly earthquakes.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7091k5pg31o