TOKYO, December 8. /TASS/. A magnitude-7.6 earthquake hit northern Japan on Monday evening, with the epicenter located east of the Aomori Prefecture’s coast at a depth of 50 kilometers.
A tsunami alert was issued for the country’s eastern and northeastern coast. Seismologists warned that the tsunami wave in the prefectures of Aomori, Iwate and Hokkaido could reach up to three meters. So far, waves measuring around 40 cm have been registered, but the alert remains in place and residents have been told to evacuate from coastal areas in the above-mentioned regions.
So far, several people were reported to have been wounded in the Aomori Prefecture. No details are available at this point, but, according to rescuers, several guests of a hotel were wounded, and ambulances were dispatched to the scene. There were also reports of several fires that broke out in the Aomori Prefecture, but this information is still being verified.
A disaster response center to collect and analyze reports and coordinate rescue efforts has begun its work at the office of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The premier herself has already arrived at her workstation. "First of all, we need to do our best to protect our people’s lives and health," she said during a brief media stakeout.
Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), the company that operates the crippled Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, said that the impact of the earthquake on its energy facilities is now being assessed. Similar statements were issued by other Japanese energy companies as well, including those who operate nuclear power plants. So far, there have been no reports of any emergencies at the country’s nuclear facilities.
The disaster also disrupted service of Japan’s Shinkansen high-speed trains in the country’s east and northeast. No Russians residing in Japan have so far sought any assistance from diplomats, the Russian embassy in Japan said.