The Gossip

On Monday, a strong earthquake hit central Japan, resulting in the loss of life, destruction of buildings, power outages in numerous homes, and causing residents in coastal regions to evacuate to higher areas. The initial magnitude of the earthquake was measured at 7.6, and it generated waves of approximately 1 meter along the west coast of Japan and neighboring South Korea. Authorities have warned that larger waves may occur in the aftermath of the quake.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued tsunami alerts for the prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama. This warning comes after a significant earthquake, the most powerful in the area in over 40 years, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Initially, a major tsunami warning was issued for Ishikawa, reminiscent of the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. However, it was later downgraded to an advisory, indicating the possibility of waves reaching heights of up to 1 meter (3 feet).

Tsunami warnings were also issued by Russia and North Korea for certain areas, as reported by government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi. Rescue operations were underway with the assistance of army personnel, as houses were destroyed and fires broke out. Local police confirmed the death of an elderly man due to a building collapse in Shika Town, Ishikawa. Jonny Wu, a Taiwanese tourist visiting Nagano prefecture for a skiing holiday, described the panic caused by falling snow from electric wires and roofs, which resulted in shaking cars.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida informed journalists that he had given instructions to search and rescue teams to make every effort to save lives, despite the challenges posed by blocked roads in the earthquake-affected areas.

According to Toshihiro Shimoyama, an official from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), there is a possibility of more powerful earthquakes occurring in the region, where seismic activity has been ongoing for over three years.

The government has issued evacuation orders to over 97,000 individuals in nine prefectures along the western coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, as of Monday night.

During his press statement immediately after the earthquake, Kishida also cautioned residents to be prepared for further disasters.

“I strongly urge individuals residing in areas at risk of tsunamis to evacuate as soon as possible,” emphasized Kishida.

In response to the disaster, the Imperial Household Agency announced the cancellation of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s scheduled New Year appearance on Tuesday.