Japan tells residents to evacuate as powerful earthquake strikes north-east | Japan

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan, prompting orders to evacuate nearly 90,000 residents, and tsunami warnings were downgraded to warning level hours later.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said a tsunami as high as 3 meters (10 ft) could hit Japan’s northeastern coast following the earthquake, which initially struck at 23:15 (14:15 GMT).

Tsunami warnings were issued for Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures, and tsunamis 20 to 70 cm (7 to 27 inches) high were observed in various ports, the JMA said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the JMA downgraded the warnings to advisory; This meant that predicted wave heights were lower and there was less risk of flooding.

The fire and disaster management agency said several fires were reported in Aomori and about 90,000 residents were advised to seek shelter in evacuation centers.

Satoshi Kato, vice principal of a high school in Hacinohe, told public broadcaster NHK that he was at home when the earthquake struck and that cups and bowls fell and broke on the floor.

Kato said he arrived by car because the school was an evacuation center and encountered traffic jams on the way and car accidents as panicked people tried to escape. He said no one has come to the school yet to seek shelter.

The earthquake’s epicenter was 50 miles (80 km) off the coast of Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 30 miles, the agency added.

On Japan’s seismic intensity scale of one to seven, the tremor in Aomori prefecture was recorded as “upper six”; This is an earthquake strong enough to make it impossible to stand or move without crawling. During such tremors, most heavy furniture can collapse, and in many buildings, wall tiles and window panes can be damaged.

East Japan Railway suspended some services in the region, which was also hit by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in March 2011.

Utilities said no irregularities were reported at nuclear power plants in the region operated by Tohoku Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power. However, Tohoku Electric said thousands of people were without power.

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. Situated in the “Ring of Fire” arc of volcanoes and oceanic trenches that partially surround the Pacific Basin, Japan is responsible for approximately 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater.