Following an earthquake that struck off the coast of northeastern Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has urged the public to evacuate to higher elevations as a potentially life-threatening tsunami looms.
This morning, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake was recorded in the waters of Japan’s Iwate Prefecture. A tsunami warning was promptly issued, alerting a significant portion of the population along the country’s northeastern coast. The earthquake originated at a depth of 10 kilometers in waters approximately 100 kilometers offshore from the Sankiru coast, according to the BBC. Authorities are currently inspecting the Onagawa nuclear power plant for any potential abnormalities in the aftermath of the tremor.
In addition to the primary warning for Iwate Prefecture, alerts have also been issued for the central Pacific coast of Hokkaido and the Pacific coast of Aomori. Advisories have been disseminated for other areas within these prefectures, as well as for Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures.
Reports of tsunami sightings near the coast of Aomori have already surfaced online. Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, stated that a tsunami was observed approximately 50 kilometers from the Aomori coast. Further updates are anticipated in due course.