A day after a strong magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred off the coast of Aomori, injuring at least 30 people, destroying roads, and momentarily cutting power to thousands in cold temperatures, Japan issued a rare alert for a possible "megaquake" on Tuesday.
Although no official evacuation order has been issued, the warning, as reported by NHK Japan, advises inhabitants along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture to stay vigilant for the next week.
The late-night earthquake that occurred on Monday at 11:15 p.m. has been lowered from an original 7.6 to 7.5, with a revised depth of 54 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
According to the organization, the shock raises the possibility of more severe or comparable tremors in the days ahead. According to NHK, this is the first occasion since the system's launch in 2022 that the JMA has issued this kind of alert.
Thirty individuals were hurt around northern Japan, including one person who was critically injured in Hokkaido, according to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. She advised locals to exercise caution.
"Please check if furniture has been fixed, listen to information from the JMA or local governments for about a week, and be ready to evacuate when you feel shaking," she advised.
Parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate were under tsunami alerts; waves as high as 70 centimeters were recorded at Kuji Port in Iwate, according to NHK.
There were additional smaller waves, measuring 50 centimeters at Urakawa Town, Hokkaido, and 40 centimeters in Mutsuogawara, Aomori. In a few of hours, the advisories were lifted.
According to local authorities, the earthquake caused at least one automobile to fall into a road cavity, noticeable fractures in the roads, and scattered fires.
When emergency alarms went off, an AFP correspondent in Hokkaido reported that there was severe shaking that lasted for almost thirty seconds.
"The tremor was something that we've never experienced," 33-year-old Daiki Shimohata of Aomori told AFP. It might have lasted twenty seconds or so.
I was reminded of the 2011 disaster by the trembling. According to Kyodo News, almost 2,700 households in Aomori lost power in the hours following the earthquake; however, by Tuesday morning, utilities reported that fewer than 40 residences were still without power.
East Japan Railway Company suspended Tohoku Shinkansen operations between Morioka and Shin-Aomori as they checked for track damage, causing disruptions to rail services.
Resuming service by 3 p.m. local time was the company's stated goal. Flights were running normally, according to major airlines like Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.
Soon after the earthquake, the government formed a task team at the prime minister's office. PM Takaichi directed agencies to "immediately provide information on any tsunami and evacuation orders," evaluate damage quickly, and take "thorough measures to prevent harm," according to NHK.
According to operator Tohoku Electric Power, no anomalies were found at the Onagawa nuclear power facility in nearby Miyagi or the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori.
Japan experiences over 1,500 earthquakes annually due to its location atop four major tectonic plates on the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
The 2011 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami that caused the Fukushima nuclear accident and left 18,500 people dead or missing have left the nation with severe wounds.
The likelihood of a significant Nankai Trough earthquake occurring within the next 30 years was increased to between 75% and 82% by a government commission in January.
Such a "megaquake" and the ensuing wave may result in up to 298,000 fatalities and $2 trillion in damage, according to a March government estimate.
Concerns regarding the nation's susceptibility and preparedness for the next significant seismic event have been rekindled by Monday's strong tremor and the JMA's unusual alert.
