A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan's coast on Monday, leaving dozens injured and triggering a tsunami that affected several communities. The quake, which occurred at around 11:15 pm in the Pacific Ocean about 80 kilometers off the Aomori prefecture, was felt strongly by residents as far south as Tokyo.
"It's never been so bad," said Nobuo Yamada, owner of a convenience store in Hachinohe town, describing the intense shaking. Miraculously, power lines remained operational, but many buildings were damaged or affected by falling debris. Yamada witnessed shattered glass and broken bowls scattered across his floor during the quake.
The tsunami triggered by the earthquake reached as high as 70 centimeters in some areas, with smaller waves affecting other coastal communities. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that around 23 people were injured, including one person seriously hurt when their car plunged into a hole. Most injuries were caused by falling objects, while others suffered from being hit by shattered glass or other debris.
The quake's magnitude was initially estimated at 7.6 but later revised to 7.5. Authorities issued warnings of potential tsunami surges and advised residents to evacuate to higher ground or seek shelter until advisories were lifted. Around 800 homes lost power, with some local train lines suspended in parts of the region.
The government has launched an emergency task force to assess damage and check on nuclear power plants in the affected area. However, officials reported that no safety concerns had been raised at any of these facilities after a small amount of water spilled from one of them earlier.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said 18 defence helicopters were mobilized for damage assessments, with approximately 480 residents taking shelter at Hachinohe Air Base. Another quake measuring 5.1 magnitude was reported about an hour later, although no further details were available.
The agency has warned of the potential for aftershocks and a slight increase in the risk of a larger earthquake along Japan's northeastern coast. Residents in affected municipalities have been advised to review their emergency preparedness plans over the coming week.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to stay informed about the latest updates from local authorities, warning that they may need to evacuate immediately if they feel tremors. The area has experienced a devastating earthquake and tsunami before – one in 2011 that claimed nearly 20,000 lives and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
"It's never been so bad," said Nobuo Yamada, owner of a convenience store in Hachinohe town, describing the intense shaking. Miraculously, power lines remained operational, but many buildings were damaged or affected by falling debris. Yamada witnessed shattered glass and broken bowls scattered across his floor during the quake.
The tsunami triggered by the earthquake reached as high as 70 centimeters in some areas, with smaller waves affecting other coastal communities. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that around 23 people were injured, including one person seriously hurt when their car plunged into a hole. Most injuries were caused by falling objects, while others suffered from being hit by shattered glass or other debris.
The quake's magnitude was initially estimated at 7.6 but later revised to 7.5. Authorities issued warnings of potential tsunami surges and advised residents to evacuate to higher ground or seek shelter until advisories were lifted. Around 800 homes lost power, with some local train lines suspended in parts of the region.
The government has launched an emergency task force to assess damage and check on nuclear power plants in the affected area. However, officials reported that no safety concerns had been raised at any of these facilities after a small amount of water spilled from one of them earlier.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said 18 defence helicopters were mobilized for damage assessments, with approximately 480 residents taking shelter at Hachinohe Air Base. Another quake measuring 5.1 magnitude was reported about an hour later, although no further details were available.
The agency has warned of the potential for aftershocks and a slight increase in the risk of a larger earthquake along Japan's northeastern coast. Residents in affected municipalities have been advised to review their emergency preparedness plans over the coming week.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to stay informed about the latest updates from local authorities, warning that they may need to evacuate immediately if they feel tremors. The area has experienced a devastating earthquake and tsunami before – one in 2011 that claimed nearly 20,000 lives and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Just thinking about this 7.5-magnitude quake off northern Japan's coast is giving me chills... like, can you even imagine being in a convenience store during an earthquake and having to clean up shattered glass all night? 
And the fact that power lines stayed operational but buildings got damaged is mind-blowing. I mean, we always hear about earthquakes in LA or California, but this one was way more intense than expected. 800 homes lost power too... talk about a long winter ahead for those folks! 
It's also crazy to think about the tsunami surges and potential aftershocks. 
Do you guys think Japan is due for another disaster after that Fukushima incident back in 2011? 
. I mean, yeah it was pretty intense and all that jazz, but like 70 centimeters of tsunami waves? That's not even a big deal for Japan! They're like "oh no, another earthquake!" and we're over here "OMG tsunamis are gonna destroy everything!!" 
. And don't even get me started on the 5.1 mag quake that happened an hour later... what's the point of even reporting it? Like, is that really news or just some afterthought?
Just another day for Japan, right? Quakes and tsunamis never get old 
. Seriously though, gotta give it to 'em, how they handled it's impressive 
. Power lines still up? That's the spirit! Now let's just hope the aftershocks don't kick off 
this is crazy, a 7.5 magnitude quake just off northern japan's coast? that's massive 
and they did 
. the japan gov has a huge task force to assess damage but at least no nuclear power plants were affected 
. 2011 was devastating with over 20k lives lost 
. fingers crossed this one is not as bad 
.
this is getting scary the 7.5-mag quake felt so intense i can imagine how shattered glass everywhere 
they need to keep a close eye on the situation for sure 
is crazy how powerful it was! 7.5 magnitude?!? that's like, super intense 
but like, power lines stayed operational? that's kinda a win? 
and 18 defence helicopters?!? wow, that's like, super heroic 
and the fact that no safety concerns were raised at any of the nuclear plants after that small spill is, like, a huge relief 
so yeah, it's definitely a tough day in japan, but we can all hope for the best 
especially after that 2011 disaster which was literally devastating...like over 20k ppl lost their lives lol japan needs to step up their earthquake preparedness game ASAP 
800 homes lost power 
️ and some train lines stopped 
what about the people with no electricity or water 
? 
but we should also check in on each other 
let's be kind to those affected by this disaster 
? like seriously how many times does this island need to get rocked by some massive quake? dozens injured & a tsunami triggered... sounds like just another Tuesday for those living in the Aomori prefecture 
. but seriously though, hope everyone is safe and power comes back on soon 
. 800 homes without electricity? ain't no convenience store owner gonna survive without their daily grind 
. btw, who needs an emergency task force when you've got defence helicopters & a whole lot of residents taking shelter at the air base 
def feel for the people who lost their homes and stuff 
let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers 
800 homes lost power? That's a lot of people affected 
, is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and infrastructure 
.
, will linger in the minds of those who have just experienced another traumatic event.
.
what's new here? we know how these things go down. 
and 480 residents at the air base, really needed or just filling up some seats?