Following 21 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 4, including one at 7.5, a tsunami alert was issued. The inhabitants of the archipelago were called to evacuate to higher ground.
21 earthquakes struck Japan on Monday, January 1, in the space of a little over ninety minutes. The authorities asked the inhabitants of the archipelago to take refuge in higher ground, fearing a possible tsunami caused by the earthquakes. “All residents should immediately evacuate to higher ground,” national broadcaster NHK said. “We realize that your homes and your possessions are dear to you, but your lives are more important than everything else. Run to the highest areas possible,” said a presenter on the channel.
Waves of five meters are expected
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), impressive waves of up to five meters could hit the archipelago. “Along the coast of Japan within a radius of 300 kilometers around the epicenter,” said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC). The first waves have already started to hit Japan: at the port of Wajima, on the Noto peninsula, waves of 1.2 meters were recorded.
Some 33,500 homes have been without electricity since the earthquakes, according to electricity suppliers. Bullet train operations were halted between Tokyo and Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan Railways announced.