Powerful Earthquake Hits Northern Japan and Tsunami Warning Issued

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale has struck northern Japan. The earthquake was centered off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture at 11:15 PM on Monday, local time.

Following the earthquake, Japanese authorities issued a warning about the risk of a potential 'megathrust earthquake' or megaquake in the region. If such a megaquake occurs, a large tsunami could hit the Pacific coast, stretching from Japan's Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture.

For this reason, the Japanese government has advised local residents along the Pacific coast to remain on high alert for the next week. However, a mandatory evacuation order has not yet been issued.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, at least six people in Aomori were injured by 1:00 AM, either from falling inside their homes or being hit by falling objects. Meanwhile, the tsunami warning issued for the Pacific coast of northern Japan has been lifted.

Tsunami warnings had been issued for Iwate Prefecture and parts of Hokkaido and Aomori. A tsunami height of 70 cm was measured at Kuji Port in Iwate. A tsunami of 50 cm was observed in Urakawa Town, Hokkaido, and 40 cm at Mutsuogawara Port in Aomori.

Due to the possibility of a megaquake, the East Japan Railway Company has halted the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train service between Morioka and Shin-Aomori. The company stated that inspections are underway to check for any damage to the railway lines. The service is planned to resume from 3:00 PM local time.

The Japanese government formed an emergency task force at the Crisis Management Center in the Prime Minister's Office on Monday night. 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has directed the swift exchange of information in the affected areas, immediate dissemination of information regarding any tsunami or necessary evacuations, and the prompt collection of details about the condition of the damaged areas.

AANI