A series of powerful earthquakes rocked Japan‘s west coast on Thursday, causing damage to buildings and infrastructure, and injuring dozens of people. The quakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6, also triggered a tsunami alert, but it was later lifted as no significant waves were detected.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the first quake struck at 2:27 a.m. local time, with an epicenter about 60 kilometers (37 miles) off the coast of Ishikawa prefecture. It was followed by several strong aftershocks, some of which were felt as far away as Tokyo, more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) to the south.
The quakes started a fire at a chemical plant in Nanao city, and collapsed a bridge and a hotel in Wajima city, according to local media reports. The fire was later extinguished, and no casualties were reported at the site. However, at least 47 people were injured across the region, mostly by falling objects or glass shards, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
The quakes also disrupted transportation and communication services, as some roads, railways, and airports were closed or suspended. More than 10,000 households lost power, and some areas experienced water outages or gas leaks, the agency said.
The government set up a task force to coordinate the emergency response, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would visit the affected areas as soon as possible. He also urged the public to stay alert for possible landslides or further quakes.
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The region was devastated by a deadly 9.0 quake and tsunami 11 years ago that also triggered nuclear plant meltdowns, spewing massive radiation that still makes some parts uninhabitable. The Japan Meteorological Agency said Thursday’s quakes were not related to the 2011 disaster, and that there was no risk of radiation leakage from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant.
However, some residents who had returned to their homes in the disaster-hit areas said they were reminded of the trauma they had experienced. “It was like a flashback. I was so scared. I grabbed my children and ran outside,” said Yuki Sato, a 36-year-old mother of two who lives in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture.
The agency said the quakes were caused by the movement of the North American plate, which is subducting under the Pacific plate along the Japan Trench. Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, and has experienced several major quakes in recent years.
