7.5-magnitude earthquake in Japan triggers major tsunami warning

A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake has struck western Japan, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The quake occurred at 16:10 (JST) in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture. According to Japan's NHK broadcaster, tsunami warnings were also issued for the prefectures of Niigata, Toyama, Yamagata, Fukui, and Hyogo along the coast of the Japan Sea.

A state broadcaster in Japan issued a warning that floodwaters might rise up to five metres and asked residents to evacuate as soon as possible to high ground or the roof of a neighbouring structure. 

People were urged to quickly leave coastal areas and move to the top of buildings or higher land as waves up to 5 metres hit the coast of Noto in Ishikawa following the tsunami warning, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

According to a US government organisation, 300 km from the earthquake's epicentre might experience tsunami waves. The plot is moving forward, and further details are anticipated in this area.

A series of powerful quakes have occurred in Japan throughout 2023.  Two earthquakes of magnitudes 6.5 and 5.0 struck near Japan's coast in quick succession in December near the Kuril Islands. On May 5, an earthquake with 6.5 magnitude hit Japan's western prefecture of Ishikawa, in which many were injured and several buildings collapsed.

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan's Honshu island, the most powerful in the country's history, and triggered a series of devastating tsunami waves.

Over 18,000 people died in the disaster, which also precipitated a nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant as tsunami waves inundated the facility along with coastal areas.

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• Japan
• earthquake
• tsunami