Multiple quakes in Japan damage houses, knocks out power on west coast; Met dept says ‘tsunamis still being recorded’

Japan witnessed a series of major earthquakes and issued its highest level tsunami alert on Monday, as strong tremors sent people in some coastal areas running for safety.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than a dozen quakes in the Japan Sea off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4 pm. The quake triggered waves of around 1 metre along parts of the Sea of Japan coast, with authorities saying larger waves could follow.

The Japanese government has set up a special emergency center to gather information on the quakes and tsunami and relay them speedily to residents to ensure safety, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

A tsunami warning is shown on TV in Yokohama, near Tokyo. (AP)

What damage was caused?

The largest of the quakes, measuring of magnitude of 7.6, starting a fire and collapsing buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu.

At least six homes were damaged by the quakes, with people trapped inside, government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said. A fire broke out in Wajima city, Ishikawa Prefecture, and electricity was out for more than 30,000 households, he said.

Bullet trains in the area were halted, although some parts of the service were restored by evening. Parts of the highway were also closed, and water pipes had burst, according to NHK. Some cell phone services in the region weren’t working.

Japanese airline ANA turned back planes headed to airports in Toyama and Ishikawa, while Japan Airlines cancelled most of its services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions and authorities said one of Ishikawa’s airports was closed.

A house is damaged by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. (AP)

Government spokesman Hayashi told reporters that nuclear plants in the affected area had not reported any irregularities on Monday.

Deaths, injuries remain unclear

No reports of deaths or injuries had been confirmed from the quakes. But NHK reported that some people sustained minor injuries when they tripped and fell while fleeing, or objects fell off shelves and hit them.

Tsunami warnings

The agency initially issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu, as well as the northernmost of its main islands, Hokkaido.

This image from a video shows a fire occurred following an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. (AP)

The warning was downgraded to a regular tsunami several hours later, meaning the waters could still reach up to 3 meters (10 feet). Aftershocks could also slam the same area over the next few days, it said.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV initially warned torrents of water could reach as high as 5 meters (16.5 feet). NHK said the tsunami waves could keep returning, and warnings were continuing to be aired hours after the initial alert. Several aftershocks also rocked the region.

Tsunami warnings were also issued for parts of North Korea and Russia.

Books are scattered at a bookstore in Niigata, Japan. (AP)

Rescue efforts on

Army units have been dispatched to help with rescue operations, top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, adding that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage. People were evacuated to stadiums, where they will likely have to stay for a few days.

More strong quakes in the area, where seismic activity has been simmering for more than three years, could occur over coming days, JMA official Toshihiro Shimoyama said.

With inputs from agencies

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