Several buildings have collapsed and many roads cracked as a massive earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit Ishikawa in central Japan on New Year.
Public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday that a tsunami around 1 metre high (3.3 feet) struck parts of the west coast along the Sea of Japan, with a larger wave expected.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued tsunami warnings for the coastal prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama.
“All residents must evacuate immediately to higher ground,” NHK said after the quake hit the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10 p.m. local time (07:10 GMT). It said another earthquake warning had been issued for Ishikawa.
Top government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi urged residents to prepare for further possible quakes as authorities assess the extent of the damage. Footage showed buildings collapsing in Ishikawa, and tremors were felt in Tokyo.
Over 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures. Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries globally.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities have been confirmed at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui prefecture.
Hokuriku’s Shika plant in Ishikawa, which was located the closest to the quake’s epicentre, had already halted its two reactors before the quake for regular inspection and saw no impact from the quake, the agency said.
South Korea’s meteorological agency said the sea level in some parts of the Gangwon province on the east coast may rise.
Japan is one of the countries in the world most at risk from earthquakes. A huge earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, killing nearly 20,000 people, devastating towns, and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.
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