Japan: Tsunami hits as new 7-magnitude earthquake threat looms

Tokyo, January 01: Japan's meteorological agency has issued a two-to-three-day warning for potential seismic activity with an intensity of 7, following a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the island nation, triggering tsunamis along some coastal areas. The alert covers Ishikawa, Nigata, Nagano, and Toyama prefectures.

On Monday, a 4-feet-high tsunami wave hit Wajima, situated approximately 300 km from Tokyo. Urging residents to seek higher ground and stay away from the coast, the government cautions that a potentially lethal tsunami with a height of 5 meters could impact Ishikawa.

Reports indicate damage to houses in affected areas, along with power outages and the suspension of bullet train services in central and eastern Japan. The National Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) warns of the possibility of recurrent tsunami waves.

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Nigata, on the western coast, may face a tsunami with a potential height of 3 meters. North Korea and Russia could also experience tsunamis reaching up to 3 feet. Over 36,000 households in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures lost power, according to utility provider Hokuriku Electric Power.

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As of now, nuclear power plants in the affected region show no irregularities. Hokuriku's Shika plant in Ishikawa, closest to the quake's epicenter, had already shut down its two reactors for routine inspection before the quake, experiencing no impact.

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Reflecting on the devastation of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that claimed 20,000 lives and triggered a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urges preparedness for potential aftershocks as authorities assess the extent of the damage.

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