At least 30 people were injured and thousands forced to leave their homes after a powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck north-eastern Japan late Monday.
The tremor, recorded at 23:15 local time (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50km (31mi), hit roughly 80km off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The quake triggered tsunami warnings that have since been lifted, although waves measuring up to 70cm (27in) were reported. In its aftermath, several train services were suspended, and approximately 2,700 homes lost power. Authorities have cautioned residents that stronger aftershocks could occur in the coming days, urging vigilance for at least a week, local media reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addressed citizens affected by the earthquake, urging preparedness. "Reconfirm your daily earthquake preparedness, such as ensuring that you secure furniture, and prepare to evacuate immediately if you feel shaking," she said.
Emergency orders led to around 90,000 people being evacuated, Reuters reported. The Aomori prefectural government confirmed widespread power outages, while East Japan Railway temporarily halted services along parts of the north-eastern coast.
The national government has activated a crisis management office and convened an emergency response team, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said.
"We are making every effort to assess the damage and implement emergency disaster response measures, including rescue and relief operations," he added.
Japanese electric company Tohoku Electric Power reported that no irregularities occurred at its Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear power plants. Officials also confirmed to the International Atomic Energy Agency that the disabled Fukushima nuclear site remained unaffected by the tremor.
The Fukushima plant was damaged in the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami, killing over 18,000 people and destroying entire towns.
Japan, situated on the seismically active Ring of Fire, experiences around 1,500 earthquakes each year. Earlier this year, the country’s earthquake investigation panel estimated a 60-90% chance of a megaquake occurring in the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years.
Worst-case scenarios suggest such an event could cause trillions in damage and kill hundreds of thousands. Past tremors along the Nankai Trough, which runs along Japan’s Pacific coast, have already claimed thousands of lives.
