Earthquake In Japan Top Updates: Tsunami Waves Continue Hours After 7.6-Magnitude Quake; Russia, North Korea On Alert

Earthquake In Japan Top Updates: Tsunami Waves Continue Hours After 7.6-Magnitude Quake; Russia, North Korea On Alert

Japan Earthquake Top Updates: Shortly after central Japan was hit by a massive earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on Monday, the country’s government issued an earthquake warning for Ishikawa Prefecture, public broadcaster NHK said in its report. The 7.6-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami around 1 metre high, which struck parts of the coast along the Sea of Japan with a larger wave expected, NHK reported.

Tsunami warnings have been issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency for the coastal prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama. The government has called on people residing in the areas affected by the earthquake and the tsunami to evacuate to safety. A huge earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, devastating towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.

Japan Earthquke Top Developments

– Tsunami waves are still being recorded off the Japanese coast, the Japan Meteorology Department said nearly five hours after a 7.6-magnitude struck central Japan on Monday morning.

“Tsunamis are still being recorded, so we urge you to remain evacuated,” an official from the agency stated around 9 pm (local time).

– At least 30 reports of building collapse incidents were received by Wajima city fire department in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture following Monday’searthquake, NHK reported.

– Japan downgraded ‘major tsunami warning’ to ‘tsunami warning’ for Noto Peninsula region, Reuters reported.

– “This earthquake’s magnitude of 7.6 was largest recorded in noto peninsula region in ishikawa since 1885 when data became available,” an official from the Japan Meteorological Agency stated about the massive earthquake that jolted central Japan on Monday.

– North Korea issued tsunami warnings for its east coast in the wake of the earthquake in Japan, saying waves of up to 2.08 meters (6.8 ft) can reach its shore, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported citing the North’s state radio.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities also said that parts of Sakhalin island’s western coast and mainland Russia’s Primorsk and Khabarovsk regions, which are situated close to Japan on Russia’s Pacific seaboard, are under threat of tsunami, Russian official media reported on Monday.

– “No reports so far on whether tsunami waves have reached nuclear power plants in areas impacted by earthquake, as employees are required to secure own safety first,” an official from Japan’s nuclear regulation authority was quoted as saying by Reuters.

– Embassy of India in Japan issues emergency contact numbers for Indian citizens following Monday’s earthquake and tsunami warnings.

– The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of heightened risk of fires and landslides in areas hit by the earthquake, Reuters reported.

– Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Hayashi urged residents in affected areas to evacuate to safe places following Monday’s earthquake and the subsequent tsunami.

– The Japanese government asked people to brace for further earthquakes after the initial one which measured up to 7.6 on the Richter Scale.

– The government confirmed that no damages were incurred by nuclear power plants due to the massive earthquake.

– More than 36,000 houses reeled under a power outage following the earthquake, Hokuriku Electric Company informed.

(With inputs from Reuters)