Could Japan Face a Bigger Tremor After 30 Injured in 7.5-magnitude Earthquake?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 30 people injured from the earthquake.
- Tsunami waves reached 70 centimeters high.
- Authorities caution of potential aftershocks.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urges vigilance.
- Residents advised to secure furniture and household items.
Tokyo, Dec 9 (NationPress) A significant 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Japan, resulting in injuries to at least 30 individuals. The quake triggered tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 70 centimetres along the Pacific coast, as reported by local news outlets citing government sources.
The Japan Meteorological Agency indicated that the earthquake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time on Monday, off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture, at a depth of 54 kilometres.
Authorities have cautioned that this tremor could potentially be succeeded by another earthquake of comparable or even greater magnitude in the same area in the upcoming days, as per Kyodo News.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has urged residents in impacted regions to stay vigilant for updates from local authorities and the meteorological agency over the next week, advising them to prepare for a possible subsequent quake by securing furniture and household items.
This earthquake originated from a trench located off the coasts of Hokkaido and northeastern Japan, a seismic zone where significant earthquakes can occur due to the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the main island of Honshu.
The agency later revised the quake's magnitude from an initial estimate of 7.6 and issued a tsunami warning predicting waves of up to 3 metres following the quake.
The highest recorded tsunami waves were measured at 70 centimetres in Iwate Prefecture.
Approximately three and a half hours post-quake, the tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory, which was eventually lifted at 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday.
The earthquake registered an upper 6 on Japan's seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of Aomori, indicating that it was nearly impossible to stand or move without crawling.
In response to the tremor, the meteorological agency issued a special alert for a major quake along the trench, referred to as the 'Off the Coast of Hokkaido and Sanriku Subsequent Earthquake Advisory', which is triggered after an earthquake with a confirmed magnitude of 7.0 or higher.
The agency has assessed that there is a one-in-100 chance of an earthquake of magnitude 8 or greater occurring within the next week. However, even with such advisories in place, authorities do not advise the public to evacuate in advance.