In Japan, thousands of people are spending the night in evacuation centers after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook the country, reports say. BBC.
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake is considered strong, and there are twenty such earthquakes in the world every year. The earthquake occurred around 16:10 local time on Monday and was followed by more than 60 aftershocks. The earthquake mainly shook the western coast of Hounsou Island. A tsunami warning was issued shortly after, and was later downgraded – but the new warning says there is still a chance of a 3m tsunami.
“The public should be alert for further earthquakes. I ask you to evacuate buildings as soon as possible in areas where a tsunami is expected.” – Tell Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kisida.
As for the damage, dozens of buildings collapsed in several cities, burying an unknown number of people under the rubble. According to Kyodo News Agency, at least two victims were killed as a result of the earthquake, and this number is expected to rise in the coming days.
A fire destroyed a row of houses in the town of Vadzima, close to the epicenter, and people were evacuated in the dark. Local hospitals reported that many injured people had arrived for treatment, although damaged roads made it difficult to transport patients guardian.
The full extent of the damage will not be clear until Tuesday morning. However, surveying operations have already begun in some areas: according to Ishikawa Prefectural officials, several houses and electricity poles have collapsed in the city of Suzu. Electricity was cut off for more than 36,000 families near the epicenter. A landslide destroyed several hundred meters of the main highway between the cities of Toyama and Kanazawa, and the bullet train stopped in Ishikawa Prefecture, and internet service was cut off in some places.
Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority said no problems have been reported at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan. There are 22 reactors in six facilities on the affected coast. Hokuriku's Sika power plant in Isikava, which was closest to the quake site, shut down two of its reactors before the quake.
