The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the earthquake’s epicenter was located 10 km deep in the Pacific Ocean. Significant wave activity is expected in the Iwate, Aomori, and Hokkaido prefectures.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, addressing the media, announced the formation of an emergency task force and urged people in the affected regions to evacuate immediately for their safety.
The broadcaster NHK displayed images of ships departing from Hachinohe port in Hokkaido as a precaution against the incoming waves, with a prominent alert reading ‘Tsunami! Evacuate!’ on the screen.
Due to the seismic activity, bullet train operations in Aomori, located at the northern tip of Japan’s main Honshu island, have been suspended, according to Kyodo News Agency.
The earthquake registered an ‘upper 5’ on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, indicating a level of shaking that can hinder movement and potentially cause unreinforced concrete-block walls to collapse.
Japan, situated in the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent earthquakes. The nation accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher.
Currently, no nuclear power plants are operational in the Hokkaido and Tohoku regions. However, Hokkaido Electric Power and Tohoku Electric Power Co. have several inactive nuclear facilities in these areas. Tohoku Electric is assessing the effects of the earthquake and tsunami on its Onagawa nuclear power plant.
