Following Monday afternoon’s 7.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked the western part of the country, the Japanese government has issued a tsunami alert to its residents.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres approximately 42 kilometres northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The Japan Meteorological Agency swiftly issued a tsunami warning for residents along the coastal regions of western Japan. The first waves were reported hitting the coast just over 10 minutes later.
Initial reports from Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture indicate tsunami waves reached around 1.2 meters (3.9 feet), as reported by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Thankfully, no immediate damage reports have been received.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a substantial tsunami warning for Noto in Ishikawa, projecting waves of about 5 meters.
A spokesperson from Ishikawa prefecture’s disaster management agency noted that this warning marks the first since 2011.
Japan’s tsunami warning system categorizes waves expected to be less than 1 meter as a “tsunami advisory,” those above 3 meters as a “tsunami warning,” and waves surpassing 5 meters as a “major tsunami warning.”
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said authorities were working to assess potential damage in affected areas.
The country’s weather agency warned that powerful aftershocks could continue over three days to a week and cautioned against potential building collapses and landslides.
