A magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit central Japan on Monday, January 1, resulting in damaged roads, buildings, and houses. It also triggered a tsunami warning.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially issued a significant tsunami warning for Ishikawa prefecture, marking the first such warning since the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, which took nearly 20,000 lives in northeastern Japan.
Following the earthquake, the meteorological agency has since cancelled all tsunami advisories. Several areas along the country’s western coast experienced tsunami waves up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) on Monday.
The United States Geological Survey reported this as the most powerful earthquake in the region in over forty years.
There have been aftershocks, and Japan’s meteorological agency warns that these may continue for several days.
Numerous towns are now focused on rescuing an unspecified number of individuals trapped beneath the debris of collapsed buildings.
Significant highways near the earthquake’s epicenter were closed, and over 36,000 households lost power, according to Hokuriku Electric Power.
Authorities in Ishikawa prefecture confirmed on Tuesday that the death toll from the earthquake has risen to at least 30.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reported, following a disaster emergency meeting, that a road had been destroyed, limiting access to the affected area. He stated that rescuers are actively working to reach individuals trapped under the debris of collapsed buildings.
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