Central Japan hit by quake prompting international response

日서 한신대지진보다 큰 규모 7.6 강진 한때 대형 쓰나미 경보 A 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked Japan’s western coast at the start of the new year, prompting emergency responses from not only its authorities but also from neighboring countries. Four people are dead, with thousands left in shelters. Our Moon Hye-ryeon starts us off. As the dust begins to settle following a powerful earthquake that hit central Japan on Monday, authorities are surveying the damage. The 7-point-6 magnitude quake struck the Ishikawa prefecture at around 4:10 PM local time – and while lower than the 9.0 earthquake which devastated the country back in 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey said it is the biggest earthquake recorded in that region in more than four decades. The Japan Meteorological Agency initially issued a major tsunami warning – the first since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami – but later downgraded it to an advisory, as the quake triggered waves of just over a meter high along Japan’s west coast as well as South Korea. Kyodo news agency reported that four people have been confirmed dead as a result of the quake, and some 30-thousand households in the region have experienced power cuts. Over 97-thousand people across nine prefectures in Japan are also said to have received orders to evacuate. With an unknown number of people still buried beneath the rubble, and with no official figures regarding damage yet released, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has instructed search and rescue teams to do everything possible to save lives. Airlines have also faced disruptions, with Japan Airlines cancelling most services to the Ishikawa and Niigata regions. South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety set up an emergency response team as waves of up to 67cm were recorded along the eastern coast of Gangwon-do province. Six cities in the region issued an emergency warning text message to residents – telling them to evacuate boats and get to high ground. So far, no casualties or damage have been reported in the country, but as waves could remain high due to aftershocks, people have been told to stay away from coastlines. U.S. President Joe Biden responded by promising “any necessary assistance”, calling Japan one of the country’s “close allies.” With some 60 tremors being recorded following the initial quake, the JMA urged caution as there is a continued risk of earthquakes for the next two to three days. Moon Hye-ryeon, Arirang News. #Japan #Ishikawa #Earthquake #Tsunami #일본 #이시카와 #지진 #쓰나미_경보 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2024-01-02, 09:00 (KST)