Central Japan hit with 7.6-magnitude earthquake, prompting tsunami warnings

No irregularities have been detected at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said.

Ruth Chai| January 01, 2024, 06:27 PM

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit the western coast of central Japan on at around 4:10pm local time on Jan. 1, prompting a tsunami warning.

Residents were advised to evacuate as the area suffered power outages and transportation services were disrupted.

"A massive magnitude-7.6 earthquake has struck Ishikawa Prefecture, in central Japan, along the Japan Sea coast. People in those areas must evacuate immediately," NHK reported.

NHK reported that the earthquake had struck Ishikawa Prefecture. A tsunami warning categorised as major was subsequently issued to the prefecture.

Tsunami warnings were also issued for Niigata, Toyama, Yamagata, Fukui and Hyogo prefectures.

Tsunami advisories were issued for the remaining prefectures on the coast of the Sea of Japan.

The preliminary quake had triggered waves of around one metre along parts of the Sea of Japan coast.

The city of Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture observed waves of more than 1.2 meters at around 4:21pm Japan time (3:21pm Singapore time), NHK further reported. Larger waves are expected.

This is the first time the "major tsunami warning" has been issued since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which affected Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Chiba prefectures, according to NHK.

A warning is issued when a tsunami with waves three meters or more is expected.

The East Japan Railway Company says that the Akita shinkansen line was suspended at around 5pm local time.

The Joetsu and Hokuriku shinkansen lines have also been suspended. It is not known when the services will resume.

More than 36,000 households had lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, according to Reuters.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said that no irregularities have been detected at nuclear power plants along the sea of Japan, Reuters reported.

Hokuriku Electric Power Company said that the two reactors at the Shika nuclear power plant in Ishikawa prefecture have been offline prior to the quake for regular inspection.

Top image via @mrjeffu/X and @spectatorindex/X