Japan has issued a major tsunami warning after a series of strong earthquakes.
The quakes hit Ishikawa and nearby areas, with one having a preliminary magnitude of 7.6, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
There are reports of people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings and tens of thousands of homes are without power – with people being urged to flee to high ground due to the tsunami threat.
Japan earthquake latest: Major tsunami warning as residents urged to evacuate
The purple line shows the major tsunami warning while the red one indicates a tsunami warning. Pic: Japan Meteorological Agency
The epicentre of the Japan earthquake. Pic: USGS
The major tsunami warning has been issued for Ishikawa, along with lower-level warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu.
A tsunami over 1.2m high struck Noto in Ishikawa, a spokesperson for the meteorological agency said.
They added there was a risk of fires, houses collapsing and landslides in areas hit by strong quakes and urged members of the public not to return to dangerous areas for at least a week.
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Waves build in Japan river amid tsunami warnings
Waves up to 5m predicted
Waves up to 5m high are predicted, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK, which urged people to flee to high ground or the tops of nearby buildings as quickly as possible.
It warned tsunami waves could keep returning and warned more strong quakes could occur in the area over the coming days. Several aftershocks rocked the region.
Collapsed buildings after an earthquake in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Pic: AP
People are evacuated following from their homes in Wajima City. Pic: AP
Residents urged to evacuate
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged residents facing the tsunami threat to evacuate immediately following the earthquake.
“Residents need to stay on alert for further possible quakes and I urge people in areas where tsunamis are expected to evacuate as soon as possible,” he said.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said it was critical for people in coastal areas to get away from the oncoming tsunami.
“Every minute counts. Please evacuate to a safe area immediately,” he said.
The earthquake damaged the pavement in Wajima City. Pic: AP
A property on fire in Wajima City which is believed to be related to the earthquake
No irregularities reported at nuclear plants
Nuclear power plants in the area had not reported any irregularities, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said.
More than 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.
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Family cling to belongings in Japan quake
High speed rail services to Ishikawa have been suspended while Japanese airline ANA turned back planes headed to airports in Toyama and Ishikawa and Japan Airlines cancelled most of its services to Niigata and Ishikawa regions.
Tsunami could last for days
The tsunami could last for two days, an expert said. The secretary general of the Joint Tsunami Commission, Mohammad Heidarzadeh, told Sky News the natural disaster has the potential to create “long-lasting oscillations” due to its location in the Sea of Japan – an almost entirely enclosed basin.
“This means that for two days you could have large waves and then obviously an impact on countries on the other side like North Korea, South Korea, Russia,” he said. “We are just at the beginning of a disaster, I would say.”
Damage in a shop in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, following the earthquake. Pic: AP
A collapsed torii gate at the Onohiyoshi Shrine in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture
Russia and North Korea issue tsunami warnings
Russia issued a tsunami warning for parts of Sakhalin island’s western coast and the mainland cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka, which are situated close to Japan on Russia’s east, while North Korea issued tsunami warnings for its east coast.
South Korea’s weather agency said the sea level in some areas along the east coast may rise after the earthquake.
Japan is extremely prone to earthquakes. In March 2011, a major quake and tsunami caused meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
