Tsunami Waves Reach Japanese Coast After Massive 8.8 Earthquake Rocks Russia
Japan on Wednesday reported that waves as high as 50cm (1.6 ft) were recorded at Ishinomaki Port, a major city in the Miyagi Prefecture on the east coast. The development came after the first tsunami waves measured 20cm to 40cm (0.6 to 1.3 ft).
Earlier in the day, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, sparking tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
Japan’s meteorological agency warned against a powerful earthquake that hit near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and issued a tsunami advisory for Japan.
Tsunami Warnings Across Japan
Amid the ongoing scare of tsunami, Japan has issued evacuation warnings along a wide swathe of its Pacific coast – from Hokkaido in the north to Wakayama prefecture in the south.
The meteorological agency had warned that tsunami waves could reach up to 3 metres high.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the company which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, has said that all workers have been evacuated. Notably, the power plant suffered a nuclear meltdown after being hit by a massive tsunami in 2011.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said that a task force is in place to assess the situation, reiterating warnings for those in the affected areas.
Evacuation Order Issued To Over 9 Lakh Residents
In response to the tsunami alert, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued an evacuation advisory for over 9,00,000 residents across 133 municipalities along the Pacific coast, spanning from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
