Magnitude 7.5 quake in northern Japan injures 23 people and triggers a 2-foot tsunami

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring 23 people and triggering tsunami waves along the Pacific coast, officials reported. The tremor has prompted authorities to warn residents about possible aftershocks and an increased risk of a more devastating megaquake in the coming days.

The quake hit at approximately 11:15 p.m. local time in the Pacific Ocean, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori, Japan’s northernmost prefecture on Honshu island. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake struck about 50 kilometers (30 miles) below the sea surface.

“I’ve never experienced such a big shaking,” said Nobuo Yamada, a convenience store owner in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, who expressed relief that power lines remained operational in his area.

Tsunami waves reaching 70 centimeters (2 feet, 4 inches) were measured in Kuji port in neighboring Iwate Prefecture, while other coastal communities in the region reported tsunami levels up to 50 centimeters. Initial alerts warned of potential tsunami surges up to 3 meters (10 feet) in some areas, but authorities later downgraded this to an advisory before lifting all tsunami warnings by 6:20 a.m. Tuesday.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency confirmed 23 injuries, including one serious case. Most victims were struck by falling objects. NHK reported that several people were injured at a hotel in Hachinohe, and one man in Tohoku suffered minor injuries when his car fell into a hole created by the quake.

Satoshi Kato, vice principal of a public high school in Hachinohe designated as an evacuation center, described the chaotic scene as the quake struck. “Glasses and bowls fell and smashed into shards on the floor,” he said. While driving to the school, Kato encountered traffic jams and car accidents as panicked residents attempted to flee to safer areas.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara urged coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground or seek shelter until all advisories were lifted. He reported that approximately 800 homes lost electricity, while Shinkansen bullet trains and some local railway lines were suspended throughout the affected region.

Nuclear facilities in the area immediately began safety checks following the tremor. The Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that about 450 liters (118 gallons) of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori. Officials assured that the water level remained within normal parameters and presented no safety concerns—a critical reassurance in a nation still bearing the scars of the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed that approximately 480 residents took shelter at the Hachinohe Air Base, and the government deployed 18 defense helicopters to assess damage across the region. Meanwhile, about 200 passengers were stranded overnight at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, according to NHK.

The meteorological agency has cautioned residents about possible aftershocks in the coming days and warned of a slightly increased risk of a magnitude 8-level earthquake and tsunami along Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba, near Tokyo, to Hokkaido. The agency urged residents across 182 municipalities to review their emergency preparations over the next week.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi established an emergency task force to assess the damage and coordinate response efforts. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she stated shortly after the earthquake. Later, she emphasized the importance of preparedness: “Please be prepared so you can immediately evacuate as soon as you feel a tremor.”

The quake struck just north of the coastal region devastated by the catastrophic magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, which killed nearly 20,000 people and caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster. Satoshi Harada, an official from the meteorological agency’s earthquake division, reminded citizens, “You need to prepare, assuming that a disaster like that could happen again.”

The U.S. Geological Survey reported another earthquake, magnitude 5.1, early Tuesday morning about 122 kilometers (76 miles) south of Honcho, at a depth of 35 kilometers, indicating continued seismic activity in the region.