Accidents & DisastersSensitive Subjects

Japan Rings in 2024 with Strong Earthquake, Tsunami Alert on New Year’s Day

7.5 Magnitude Quake Disrupts Trains, Causes Blackouts

Japan was jolted by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on the first day of 2024, disrupting new year celebrations across parts of the country. The strong temblor struck off the coast of central Japan early morning on January 1, causing tremors across large areas and triggering a tsunami warning.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 60 km in the Pacific off Fukushima prefecture, swaying buildings and halting trains services in Tokyo. An advisory was issued for a 0.2 to 1 meter high tsunami along parts of northeastern and eastern Japan. People in coastal regions were advised to evacuate to higher ground immediately.

Videos on social media showed violent shaking caused due to the earthquake across cities. Over 30,000 households suffered power outages in the Tokyo area post the quake. Flights were also grounded for safety checks at Sendai airport.

The meteorological agency forecasted further strong aftershocks going ahead. Although no major damage was immediately reported, the quake served as an inauspicious start to the new year for Japan. Authorities urged citizens to be vigilant and take precautions against potential tsunami waves.

The Pacific region is prone to frequent seismic activity and Japan in particular sees many earthquakes annually as it falls in the earthquake-prone ‘Ring of Fire’. But the New Year’s day quake rattled citizens who were looking forward to celebrating 2024 after the difficulties of the pandemic. The government assured all support to those affected by the earthquake and tsunami warning.

See the earthquake scene in the video:

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1741729547991867671

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