Strong Earthquake Hits Japan: Injuries Reported, Tsunami Alert in Place

A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck northern Japan late on Monday, injuring at least eight people, according to local media, as a tsunami alert remains in effect for the coasts of the northern and northeastern archipelago. The meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning of up to 3 meters in height for the coasts of Aomori Prefecture, neighboring Iwate, and the southern tip of Hokkaido island. Two people were injured in falls related to the quake in Hokkaido, the country's northernmost island, one of them during the evacuation recommended for over 23,000 people due to the tsunami, according to the Kyodo news agency. At 01:08 local time, a 70-centimeter tsunami had been observed at Kuji Port in Iwate, according to the latest data published by NHK. Japan lies on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismic zones, and suffers from earthquakes with relative frequency, which is why its infrastructure is specially designed to withstand tremors. "We are still observing tsunamis, so continue to evacuate from high-risk areas," warned Shinji Kiyomoto, head of the JMA's Earthquake and Tsunami Observation Division, at a press conference. The quake occurred at 23:15 local time on Monday (14:15 GMT) off the coast of Aomori Prefecture in the northeastern archipelago, with an epicenter at a depth of 50 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Nuclear operators have not detected any anomalies or unusual radiation levels around nuclear power plants in Hokkaido, Aomori, Miyagi, or Fukushima, regions where the tremor was felt strongly. The Aomori government reported that about 2,700 homes were left without electricity and two fires broke out following the seismic event, although no major damage has been reported yet. The JMA has urged extreme caution as a similar magnitude earthquake could occur in the same area in the coming days. Public broadcaster NHK, meanwhile, reported that six people were injured in Aomori Prefecture. In Tokyo, the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has established a special team that is coordinating with local authorities to assess the number of injured and the extent of the damage, a task complicated in the middle of the night. The quake reached an upper 6 on the Japanese 7-scale in Hachinohe, which measures the intensity of shaking on the surface and destructive potential, as well as a lower 6 in the towns of Oirase and Hashikami.