Shocking videos have emerged from northern Japan following a powerful offshore earthquake that struck on Monday, leaving at least 30 people injured and causing significant damage across the region.
The Tremors and Damage
The quake was initially reported to be of magnitude 7.6 but was later downgraded by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to magnitude 7.5.
- Viral Footage: A video reportedly taken inside the Hachinohe city branch office of the broadcaster ABA Aomori Asahi Broadcasting showed the severity of the shaking. The 1 minute 54 second clip depicted office walls shaking violently and papers flying off desks as equipment struggled to remain stable.
- Infrastructure Impact: The tremors damaged roads, left crevasses in pavements, scattered broken glass, and resulted in at least one car falling into a hole. Photos showed office floors, such as one in Hakodate, Hokkaido, covered in scattered papers.
- Fires: Government spokesman Minoru Kihara confirmed one blaze at a house following the quake.
Tsunami and Power Cuts in Freezing Cold
The earthquake immediately prompted authorities to issue serious warnings and advisories:
- Tsunami Warning: The JMA initially issued a warning for tsunamis up to three meters (10 feet) high. While this potential for significant damage was severe, the largest waves recorded eventually measured up to 70 centimeters (28 inches). All warnings were lifted after several hours.
- Evacuations: Approximately 28,000 people were advised to evacuate their homes by emergency services, with media reports indicating that some makeshift shelters quickly filled up.
- Power Outages: With temperatures hovering around the freezing point, some 2,700 homes in Aomori initially lost power. However, restoration efforts were quick, reducing the number to less than 40 within hours, according to Kyodo News.
Official Response and Warnings
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed that 30 people were injured in the quake off the coast of the Aomori region, including one person seriously hurt in the main northern island of Hokkaido.
- Nuclear Safety: Operators confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori or the Onagawa facility in nearby Miyagi.
- Aftershock Likelihood: The JMA warned that the powerful quake, which occurred at 11:15 PM on Monday (1415 GMT), increased the likelihood of similar or even larger tremors in the coming days.
- Official Caution: PM Takaichi urged residents to remain vigilant: “Please listen to information from the JMA or local governments for about a week and check if furniture is fixed …. and be prepared to evacuate when you feel shaking.”
The Shinkansen bullet train service was temporarily suspended in some areas while engineers conducted checks for potential damage to the tracks.