An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck today Ishikawa Prefectureon the west coast of central Japan, and forced the activation of a tsunami warning for much of the archipelago, in addition to causing significant damage and leaving at least six people buried under rubble.
The earthquake, which was felt in Tokyooccurred on the Noto Peninsula at 16:10 (7:10 GMT) and initially Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) He estimated that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale, although he later increased the magnitude by two tenths.
Likewise, the agency initially said the earthquake occurred close to the ground, and later placed its hypocenter at a depth of 16 kilometers.
The earthquake reached a magnitude of 7 on Japan’s closed scale of 7, which focuses on the destructive capacity of earthquakes rather than intensity.
Wajima, the town most affected
Images published on Japanese television or social networks showed the great strength of the earthquake and its destructive power, especially in the city of Wajima (about 500 kilometers west of Tokyo), where the greatest damage was apparently recorded.
In this town of about 27,000 residents, at least 30 single-family homes suffered serious damage, with at least six people buried under rubble and one building collapsed.
The earthquake also caused a big fire in this city.
By 2100 local time (1200 GMT), nearly 60 aftershocks had been recorded, and the JMA warned that more aftershocks reaching Japan’s magnitude 7 were highly likely over the next week.
The quake also damaged roads and highways in the region and forced the suspension of several high-speed train lines.
More than 30,000 homes were reported without power in Ishikawa and another 3,600 in neighboring Niigata in the same situation, although Japanese authorities said at least no damage had been detected at any of the country’s nuclear power plants.
Warning of possible waves of up to five meters
The earthquake forced the activation of warnings for the possible arrival of waves of up to five meters in Ishikawa Prefecture and for waves of up to three meters in Fukui Prefecture, Toyama, Hyogo, Niigata and Yamagata.
A tsunami warning of up to one meter is also in effect for the entire west coast of Honshu and Hokkaido and north of Kyushu.
The intensity of the quake and the magnitude of the alert had broadcasters at Japan’s public broadcaster NHK almost shouting for people in the area to move to higher ground.
In Wajima, waves reached a height of 1.2 meters, and other cities along Japan’s west coast reported sea level rises of less than one meter.
Even authorities in neighboring South Korea reported that the coast of Gangwon Province, which faces the Sea of Japan (called the East Sea in both Koreas), received waves between 20 and 45 centimeters.
Fortunately, the water did not cause damage in either Japan or South Korea, although the JMA alert is expected to remain activated for several more hours.
At the moment, the agency has decided to reduce only the alert that affected Ishikawa, where possible waves of up to three meters are now expected instead of five.
Source: Panama America
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
