Powerful earthquake strikes northeastern Japan, dozens got injured

(MENAFN) A strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Japan late Monday night, injuring at least 34 people and prompting warnings of possible additional tremors this week, according to reports.

The majority of casualties were reported in Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, located along a major seismic trench where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath Honshu Island. The quake also led to the temporary suspension of ocean discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The initial magnitude was recorded as 7.6 before being revised to 7.5, with the earthquake occurring at a depth of roughly 53.1 kilometers (33 miles) off northern Aomori’s coast.

Authorities cautioned that further quakes of similar or greater intensity could occur, and thousands of residents were advised to prepare for possible evacuation. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed that a military base in Hachinohe, Aomori, the hardest-hit city, had been converted into an evacuation center, accommodating hundreds of residents.

For the first time, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special alert for coastal areas of Hokkaido and the Sanriku coastline, which stretches across Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures. Tsunami warnings were briefly issued and later downgraded to advisories, urging residents to seek shelter immediately after the quake struck around 11:15 p.m. local time (1415 GMT).

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to remain vigilant, follow local updates, and secure household items. "The government asks residents to continue social and economic activities while maintaining a readiness to evacuate immediately if any shaking is felt," she said.

The earthquake caused school closures, disruptions to transport and water supply, and power outages affecting about 2,700 homes in Aomori. JR East suspended bullet train services on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line between Morioka and Shin-Aomori for inspections. Several moderate aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 5.0 to 6.6, were recorded in the hours following the main quake.

No abnormalities were reported at nuclear plants in Hokkaido or northeastern prefectures.

However, the Tokyo Electric Power Company halted the discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from Fukushima Daiichi following the tsunami warning. Minor water leakage occurred from a spent fuel storage pool at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori, but it remained contained within the building.

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