Powerful earthquake slams Japan, residents flee some coastal areas
World
Powerful earthquake slams Japan, residents flee some coastal areas
TOKYO (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake struck central Japan on Monday, destroying scores of buildings, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and prompting residents to evacuate some coastal areas.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 triggered waves of about 1 metre along Japan's west coast and neighbouring South Korea, with authorities saying larger waves could follow.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued tsunami warnings for the prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama. A major tsunami warning - the first since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan - was initially issued for Ishikawa but later downgraded.
Russia and North Korea also issued tsunami warnings for some areas.
Houses have been destroyed, fires have broken out and army personnel have been dispatched to help with rescue operations, government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, adding that authorities were still assessing the damage.
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.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck in Ishikawa prefecture in central Japan on Monday
In comments to the press shortly after the quake struck, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also warned residents to prepare for more disasters.
"I urge people in areas where tsunamis are expected to evacuate as soon as possible," Kishida said.
"Tsunami! Evacuate!" a bright yellow warning flashed across television screens advising residents in specific areas of the coast to immediately evacuate their homes.
Images carried by local media showed a building collapsing in a plume of dust in the city of Suzu and a huge crack in a road in Wajima where panicked-looking parents clutched their children.
There have been reports of at least 30 collapsed buildings in Wajima, a town of around 30,000 known for its lacquerware, and a major blaze has engulfed several buildings.
The quake also jolted buildings in the capital Tokyo, some 500 km from Wajima on the opposite coast.
More than 36,000 households had lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, areas where temperatures where set to drop to near freezing overnight, according to utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power (9505.T). Telecoms operators also reported phone and internet outages in some areas.
The extent of any injuries and deaths was unclear. Two people recovered from quake debris in Ishikawa prefecture were unresponsive, public broadcaster NHK reported.
