SRINAGAR: A 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido and Tohoku regions on Friday, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a tsunami advisory for parts of the northern Pacific coastline, national broadcaster NHK reported.
The latest tremor follows a 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Japan late on Monday night, injuring more than 34 people. Authorities said Monday’s quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometres off the coast of Aomori, triggering widespread concern over further seismic activity.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said assessments of damage from Friday’s quake were under way as emergency teams continued relief operations. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” Takaichi said, according to AP.
Following Monday’s tremor, a 70-centimetre tsunami was observed at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture, with smaller waves of up to 50 centimetres recorded in nearby towns. NHK reported minor damage to oyster farming rafts along the affected coastline.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirmed that around 800 households experienced temporary power outages and that Shinkansen services and several local train lines were halted early Tuesday as a safety measure. East Japan Railway later said bullet train operations had resumed, while Tohoku Electric Power Co. restored electricity to most areas by morning.
JMA has warned of continued aftershocks in the coming days and noted a slight rise in the probability of a magnitude-8 level earthquake along the northeastern coast, stretching from Chiba to Hokkaido. The agency stressed that the alert was precautionary and not a prediction of a major event.
Authorities have urged residents across 182 municipalities in northern Japan to remain vigilant and review emergency preparedness measures as seismic activity continues.
