The epicenter of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake was in the Noto region – at just a shallow depth. Houses collapsed, streets opened up. And the series of earthquakes continues. Some affected areas are difficult to access.
Following the serious earthquake in Japan on New Year's Day, the death toll continues to rise. At least 48 people have died in badly affected Ishikawa Prefecture in the west of the main island of Honshu, broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday, citing local authorities. Tsunami warnings issued the day before were suspended. Rescue teams searched for other people buried under the rubble. “The search and rescue of people affected by the earthquake is a fight against time,” said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Some areas are very difficult to reach due to impassable roads and other damaged infrastructure.
Numerous rail connections and flights to the earthquake area were suspended. The airport on the Noto peninsula was closed due to extensive damage, and around 500 people were trapped in vehicles in the parking lot, state television broadcaster NHK reported. In the small coastal town of Suzu, near the epicenter, as many as 1,000 of 5,000 homes may have been destroyed, according to Mayor Masuhiro Izumiya. “The situation is catastrophic,” he said. The city of Wajima was also particularly affected.
On Monday night, authorities urged around 100,000 people to seek safety following tsunami warnings. They were accommodated in sports halls that function as evacuation centers in emergencies. Many returned to their homes on Tuesday after authorities lifted tsunami warnings. According to energy company Hokuriku Electric Power, nearly 32,000 homes were still without power on Tuesday. Furthermore, most areas of Noto have no water supply, NHK reported.
Many houses collapsed, power cuts
Numerous houses collapsed or were victims of fires, roads were opened and there were power outages in tens of thousands of families. Several people suffered injuries. In the hard-hit town of Wajima in Ishikawa, more than 100 homes and businesses caught fire in one neighborhood, local media reported. Low flames were still burning in some locations on Tuesday morning and firefighters were still on duty. Thick smoke hung over the area. Other houses collapsed or were seriously damaged. About 1,000 people were housed at an Air Force base in Wajima and received blankets, water and food, the government announced.
The Japan Meteorological Institute (JMA) warned of new strong tremors in the coming days. Since Monday's first earthquake, more than 140 tremors have been recorded. The nuclear authority said there were no known problems at nuclear plants along the coast. The Shika nuclear plant, which is closest to the epicenter, shut down its two reactors for regular inspections before the earthquake. According to the company, there were some power cuts and oil leaks. But no radiation escaped.
Earthquake damage in Wajima city. APA/AFP/Yusuke Fukuhara
Earthquakes felt in many parts of Japan
A particularly strong earthquake reached a magnitude of 7.6 the day before. The epicenter was in the Noto Peninsula area of Ishikawa Prefecture. The meteorological agency then issued a strong warning about a possible five-meter-high tsunami for Ishikawa, which was later lifted. For all other western coastal regions, lower tsunami warnings continued to apply. The earthquake was felt from Hokkaido in northern Japan to the main island of Kyushu in the southwest. Several tidal waves about a meter high hit the coast.
The tremors triggered landslides and trees fell onto the roads. Several boats were at keel height in the harbor basin. There were reports of burst water pipes. The Tokyo government created a crisis team and the armed forces were called in to provide humanitarian aid in Ishikawa. The weather agency warned of new strong earthquakes this week, especially in the first two or three days after the particularly severe quake on New Year's Day.
A fire broke out in the city of Wajima. APA/AFP/Str
More strong earthquakes expected
Buildings in the capital Tokyo area, which has millions of inhabitants, also began to sway. High-speed trains were temporarily stopped. The national meteorological agency has warned of new strong earthquakes this week, especially in the next two or three days.
South Korea's eastern Gangwon province also warned residents of several cities and counties about tsunamis, national news agency Yonhap reported. After a series of smaller tidal waves in the early evening (local time), the meteorological office later recorded a 67-centimeter wave in the coastal city of Donghae.
Compared to the tsunami disaster in Japan in March 2011, the tsunami waves in the country were significantly smaller this time. At that time, a magnitude 9 earthquake triggered a huge tsunami that devastated large areas in the northeast and killed around 20,000 people. There was a disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. (APA/dpa/Portal)