Tokyo, 9 December (H.S.): A strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, injuring 23 people and triggering tsunami waves along parts of the Pacific coast, officials said. Authorities warned of possible aftershocks and a slightly elevated risk of an even more powerful quake.

The quake hit around 11:15 p.m., about 80 km off Aomori Prefecture, Japan’s northernmost region on Honshu island. The Japanese government is still assessing the full extent of damage.

Residents reported intense shaking. “I’ve never experienced such a big shaking,” said convenience store owner Nobuo Yamada in Hachinohe, adding that power was still functioning in his area.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) measured tsunami waves up to 70 cm in Kuji port, Iwate Prefecture, and up to 50 cm in nearby coastal areas. JMA initially warned of possible 3-meter tsunami surges, later downgrading the warning to an advisory.

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, injuries were mostly from falling objects. One person was seriously hurt, while several hotel guests in Hachinohe and a man whose car plunged into a hole were among the injured.

About 800 homes lost electricity, while Shinkansen bullet trains and other rail services were suspended in parts of the region. Nuclear plants initiated safety checks; at the Rokkasho fuel reprocessing plant, around 450 liters of water spilled from a spent-fuel cooling area but posed no safety risk, regulators said.

Nearly 480 residents took shelter at Hachinohe Air Base. Eighteen defense helicopters were deployed for damage assessment. Around 200 passengers were stranded overnight at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.

Authorities cautioned that aftershocks could continue for days. They also warned of a slightly increased chance of a magnitude-8 class earthquake along Japan’s northeastern coast—from Chiba to Hokkaido—urging residents in 182 municipalities to review their emergency preparedness.

Traffic jams and accidents were reported as people rushed to evacuate. “Glasses and bowls fell and shattered on the floor,” said high-school vice principal Satoshi Kato, who drove to his school, an official evacuation center.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the formation of an emergency task force, saying the government was “putting people’s lives first.” She urged residents to stay alert and be ready to evacuate immediately upon feeling aftershocks.

All tsunami advisories were lifted at 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, NHK reported.

The quake struck near the region devastated by the 2011 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami, which killed nearly 20,000 people and triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Officials warned residents to prepare assuming a similar disaster could occur again.

The U.S. Geological Survey separately reported a 5.1-magnitude quake early Tuesday, about 122 km south of Honcho.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar