Powerful earthquakes leave at least eight dead, destroy buildings along Japan's western coast

02/01/2024

A building falls on the ground following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of major earthquakes started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. (Kyodo News via AP)

NANAO, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes hit western Japan, leaving at least eight people dead and damaging buildings, vehicles and boats, with officials warning people in some areas on Tuesday to stay away from their homes because of a risk of more strong quakes.

People walk by a building collapsed following an earthquake in Shikamachi, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after a magnitude 7.6 temblor slammed the area on Monday afternoon.

Cracks are seen on the ground in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, following an earthquake. Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes in the Sea of Japan. (Kyodo News via AP)

Eight people were confirmed dead in Wajima city, officials said. Seven others were seriously injured, while damage to homes was so great that it could not immediately be assessed, they said.

A vehicle sits underneath a building collapsed following an earthquake in Shikamachi, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

Kyodo news agency reported at least 13 deaths had been confirmed.

A building falls on the ground following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

“Saving lives is our priority and we are fighting a battle against time,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday. “It is critical that people trapped in homes get rescued immediately.”

Houses fallen by an earthquake are seen in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 shook the area as he was speaking.

Smoke rises from the site of a fire occurred following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan left at least four people dead and damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan’s military dispatched 1,000 soldiers to the disaster zones to join rescue efforts, Kishida said, stressing they were facing “large-scale damage.” Details of damaged homes were still under investigation, he said.

A part of a commercial facility collapses in Kaga, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate seaside areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline Monday. (Kyodo News via AP)

Firefighters continued to battle a fire in Wajima city which reddened the sky with embers and smoke.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, second from left, speaks at a disaster response meeting at his office in Tokyo Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes hit western Japan, damaging buildings, vehicles and boats, with officials warning people in some areas on Tuesday to stay away from their homes because of a continuing risk of major quakes. (Kyodo News via AP)

Nuclear regulators said several nuclear plants in the region were operating normally. A major quake and tsunami in March 2011 caused three reactors to melt and release large amounts of radiation at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.

A tsunami warning is shown on TV in Yokohama, near Tokyo Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes in the Sea of Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

News videos showed rows of collapsed houses. Some wooden structures were flattened and cars were overturned. Half-sunken ships floated in bays where tsunami waves had rolled in, leaving a muddied coastline.

A staff member of Japan Meterological Agency speaks at a press conference in Tokyo Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, following an earthquake. Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate seaside areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline Monday. (Kyodo News via AP)

On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as for the northern island of Hokkaido.

A house is damaged by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes in the Sea of Japan. (Kyodo News via AP)

The warning was downgraded several hours later, and all tsunami warnings were lifted as of early Tuesday. Waves measuring more than one meter (3 feet) hit some places.

A torii gate is damaged after an earthquake at a shrine in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes in the Sea of Japan. (Kyodo News via AP)

The agency warned that more major quakes could hit the area over the next few days.

People who were evacuated from their houses huddled in auditoriums, schools and community centers. Bullet trains in the region were halted, but service was being restored in some places. Sections of highways were closed, water pipes burst, and cellphone service was out in some areas.

Books are scattered at a bookstore in Niigata, Japan following an earthquake Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate seaside areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline Monday. (Kyodo News via AP)

U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement that his administration was “ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Japanese people.”

A house damaged by an earthquake sits in Nanao, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

Fishing boats are overturned at a port in Shikamachi, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

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This image from a video shows a fire occurred following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate seaside areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline Monday. (Kyodo News via AP)

Kageyama reported from Tokyo.

People take shelter at an elementary school following an earthquake in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. A series of major earthquakes started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. (Kyodo News via AP)

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People take shelter at a prefectural government office following an earthquake in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. A series of major earthquakes started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. (Kyodo News via AP)

Yuri Kageyama is on X https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

A person walks on a street damaged by an earthquake in Hakui, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)

Firefighters check around a collapsed house following an earthquake in Hakui, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes hit western Japan, damaging buildings, vehicles and boats, with officials warning people in some areas on Tuesday to stay away from their homes because of a continuing risk of major quakes. (Kyodo News via AP)

People read extra edition of Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reporting the earthquakes Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 in Tokyo. Japan issued tsunami alerts and ordered evacuations following a series of earthquakes on Monday that started a fire and trapped people under rubble on the west coast of its main island.(AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)