Tsunami alert following 7.6 magnitude earthquake in central part of country

This Monday, January 1, 2024, a massive earthquake struck central Japan. A tsunami warning was issued in the morning.

A tsunami warning was issued this Monday, after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Japan on January 1, followed by a second magnitude 7.6 in the center of the country. Japan Meteorological Agency. In total, 21 earthquakes with an intensity greater than 4 were reported in the country, while the first waves hit the coast in the morning.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located on the Noto Peninsula. It happened around 4:10 pm local time on Monday, January 1, or 8:10 am French time.

“All residents should immediately evacuate to higher ground,” officials said on national broadcaster NHK.

According to the Japanese government, “hostility” has not yet been detected at the Shika nuclear power plant (located in the Ishikawa sector, editor's note) and other sites – government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi announced – government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi. 33,500 homes were without electricity until midnight.

Big waves

A major tsunami warning was issued first for Ishikawa prefecture, then for Niigata, Toyama, Yamagata, Fukui and Hyogo prefectures along Japan's coast.

“Dangerous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 km of the epicenter along the coast of Japan,” the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that waves could rise up to 5 meters high.

Japan Railways said highways were closed near the epicenter and bullet train service between Tokyo and Ishikawa prefectures where the tremors were hit was suspended.

A tsunami warning has also been issued in some Russian and North Korean cities.

In May 2023, the Noto Peninsula was already hit by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. Train services were briefly disrupted, but no tsunami warning was issued.