At Least Thirty People Injured in Japan Earthquake
Most of the injuries were concentrated in Aomori and Hokkaido, areas situated along a major seismic fault where strong quakes are common due to the Pacific Plate’s subduction beneath Honshu, according to media.
Officials initially assessed the quake at magnitude 7.6 before revising it to 7.5.
Authorities cautioned that another powerful tremor could strike in the coming days and instructed thousands of residents to be ready to evacuate immediately.
For the first time, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a special alert for coastal zones in Hokkaido and the Sanriku region, spanning Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures.
The quake struck at around 11:15 p.m. local time Monday (1415GMT), prompting Tokyo to release tsunami warnings and advisories and urge residents to seek higher ground. All warnings were later lifted.
The U.S. Geological data placed the epicenter at a depth of 53.1 kilometers (nearly 33 miles) off northern Aomori’s coast.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on residents to remain cautious, monitor official updates, and secure any unstable items at home.
"The government asks residents to continue social and economic activities while maintaining a readiness to evacuate immediately if any shaking is felt," Takaichi told reporters.
Several aftershocks between magnitude 5.0 and 6.6 were recorded in the hours following the initial quake, according to the US Geological Survey.
Tsunami alerts were first issued for Aomori, Iwate, and Hokkaido’s Central Pacific Coast, while advisories covered Miyagi, Fukushima, and Hokkaido’s West and East Pacific Coast. All warnings were later downgraded to advisories.
Roughly 2,700 homes in Aomori experienced power outages, though electricity has been gradually restored.
Authorities said no irregularities were detected at nuclear facilities in Hokkaido or in the northeastern prefectures of Aomori, Miyagi, and Fukushima.
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