A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan on March 25, 2024, injuring over 20 individuals and triggering a tsunami with waves reaching up to 70 centimetres. The quake occurred at approximately 23:15 local time (01:15 on March 26 AEDT) in the Pacific Ocean, around 80 kilometres from Aomori, Japan’s northernmost prefecture on the main island of Honshu.
The Japanese government has begun assessing the damage from both the earthquake and the tsunami. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the establishment of an emergency task force to evaluate the situation. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she stated, urging residents to stay informed and be ready to evacuate if necessary.
A tsunami warning was issued shortly after the quake, with the most significant wave measured at Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, located just south of Aomori. Other areas along the coast experienced tsunami waves of up to 50 centimetres. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, at least 23 people sustained injuries, including one person seriously. Many injuries resulted from falling objects, with reports indicating that several individuals were hurt in a hotel in Hachinohe and one man in Tohoku was injured when his vehicle fell into a hole.
The Japan Meteorological Agency initially reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 7.6 before revising it to 7.5. They issued an advisory warning of potential tsunami surges of up to three metres in certain regions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara emphasized the importance of safety, advising residents to seek higher ground or shelter until the advisories were lifted. He confirmed that nuclear power plants in the affected areas conducted safety checks, with no issues reported thus far.
As a precaution, Shinkansen bullet trains and some local railway services were suspended, affecting transportation across parts of the region. Approximately 800 homes lost electricity. The meteorological agency also cautioned residents to prepare for possible aftershocks in the days to come and noted a slight increase in the risk of a magnitude 8-level earthquake and subsequent tsunamis along Japan’s northeastern coast, stretching from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido.
In Hachinohe, Vice Principal Satoshi Kato described the moment the earthquake struck, recounting how glasses and bowls fell and shattered at his home. He drove to the school, designated as an evacuation center, only to encounter heavy traffic and accidents caused by panicked residents trying to escape the area. Despite the chaos, no one had arrived at the school seeking shelter at that time.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located approximately 80 kilometres northeast of Hachinohe and 50 kilometres below sea level. This region is still recovering from the devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which claimed nearly 20,000 lives.
As the situation develops, authorities continue to monitor and assess the impact of this latest seismic event on the affected communities.
