A magnitude 7.5 quake off northern Japan injured 30 people, damaged roads and cut power to thousands amid freezing temperatures.
TOKYO: A powerful earthquake off northern Japan has injured at least 30 people and triggered tsunami warnings.
The magnitude 7.5 quake struck at 11:15 pm on Monday off the coast of Aomori region, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed the number of injured, which includes one person seriously hurt in Hokkaido.
Initial tsunami warnings predicted waves up to three metres high, prompting urgent evacuations.
The largest waves recorded ultimately measured up to 70 centimetres, and all warnings were lifted hours later.
Footage showed significant road damage, with crevasses and at least one car fallen into a hole.
Broken glass from shattered windows littered roads and pavements in affected areas.
Approximately 28,000 people were advised to evacuate their homes following the tremor.
Some makeshift shelters reportedly reached full capacity as residents sought safety.
Around 2,700 homes in Aomori lost power in freezing temperatures shortly after the quake.
Electricity was restored to most areas by Tuesday morning, with fewer than 40 homes still affected.
Shinkansen bullet-train services were suspended in some regions for safety checks.
Operators reported no abnormalities at the Higashidori or Onagawa nuclear power plants.
Daiki Shimohata, a 33-year-old civil servant in Hashikami, described the intense shaking.
“The tremor was something that we’ve never experienced,” Shimohata told AFP by phone.
“It lasted maybe for about 20 seconds. We were holding our children in our arms.”
He added that the shaking reminded him of the devastating 2011 disaster.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of potential for similar or larger tremors in coming days.
Prime Minister Takaichi urged residents to remain vigilant for about a week.
“Please listen to information from the JMA or local governments,” Takaichi said early Tuesday.
She advised people to check if furniture is secured and be prepared to evacuate.
Japan experiences around 1,500 tremors every year due to its position on major tectonic plates.
The 2011 magnitude-9.0 quake and tsunami left 18,500 people dead or missing.
A government panel recently increased the probability of a major Nankai Trough quake within 30 years.
Estimates suggest such a “megaquake” could cause up to 298,000 deaths and USD 2 trillion in damages. – AFP
