Residents of these regions have been asked to seek higher ground. Waves more than a meter thick were measured off the coast of Ishikawa. Electricity supplier Hokuriku Electric Power said it was checking irregularities at its nuclear plants. Competitor Kansai Electric reported that there were no abnormalities at its nuclear plants in the earthquake zone. According to the nuclear agency, so far no tsunami has hit any of the nuclear plants near the coast.
However, authorities warned of possible new attacks. A statement from the meteorological authority responsible for the earthquakes showed the seriousness of the situation: This is the first major tsunami warning since 2011, when strong tremors and a subsequent tsunami led to the nuclear disaster in Fukushima. It is also the worst earthquake in Japan since 2018.
An earthquake hit Japan on New Year's Day. As Japanese public TV broadcaster NHK announced, the earthquake struck north-central Japan with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6. There were warnings of a tsunami several meters high.
Images of collapsing buildings
According to the Austrian Seismological Service (Geosphere Austria), the earthquake occurred at 8:10 am in the Otani area. Buildings in the capital Tokyo area also began to sway due to the earthquake. There are now the first reports of damage and burials. Images broadcast by NHK appeared to show buildings collapsing in Ishikawa. More than 36,000 homes lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utility Hokuriku Electric Power said. Telephone and internet connections were also interrupted. Air and rail traffic was disrupted.
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan, killing nearly 20,000 people, devastating cities and triggering a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. At that time, the tremors reached a magnitude of 9.0.
Earthquake epicenter on January 1, 2024 near Anamizu, Japan.
Prime Minister appeals to the population
At a press conference, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called on the population of the affected regions to seek safety. A crisis team has been created, the most important thing now is people's safety.
A spokeswoman for Japanese public television broadcaster NHK continually and urgently urged residents in areas where a tsunami warning was issued to seek safety on higher ground.
Warning of waves up to five meters high
NHK had previously emphasized that the tsunami could occur in several waves. It was pointed out that the center of the earthquake was just twelve kilometers below the Earth's surface and that waves up to five meters high were expected. It was emphasized that one should not wait for evacuation orders from authorities. Anyone who feels they are in a danger zone should flee immediately, before dark if possible.
IMAGO/Kyodo News First images of damaged buildings
Evacuation call in South Korea
In South Korea, a tsunami warning has also been issued for the eastern province of Gangwon for the next 24 hours. Residents were advised to move to higher ground as a precaution. The first smaller waves of the tsunami have already hit the east coast of South Korea. However, authorities warned that the waves could become significantly stronger in the coming hours. A tsunami warning was also issued in extremely isolated and dictatorial North Korea.
Eastern Russia expects smaller tsunami
Cities in Russia's far east are also preparing for a possible tsunami. Several cities in the region, including the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, declared an “alert” on Monday about a possible tsunami threat but did not order evacuations.