Tsunami Warning Across Japan... Kamchatka 8.7 Earthquake, 1.9 Million Evacuated 'High Alert'

【Tokyo=Kim Kyung-min, Correspondent】 On the 30th at around 8:25 AM, a magnitude 8.7 earthquake occurred near the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings and advisories for most areas along the Pacific coast, affecting regions from Hokkaido to Kyushu until noon that day.
The observed tsunami heights were 1.3m in Iwate Prefecture, Hokkaido, 50cm in Miyagi Prefecture, and 40cm in Sendai City and Ibaraki Prefecture.
According to the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency, as of 12:30 PM on the 30th, over 1.9 million residents in 207 municipalities across 21 prefectures were subject to evacuation orders.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned, "The tsunami following the first wave could be larger," urging residents near the coast or rivers to evacuate to higher ground quickly. Authorities emphasized, "Do not return until the warning is lifted and maintain evacuation," predicting that the tsunami height could persist for at least a day.
This is the first tsunami warning issued due to an overseas earthquake since the Chile earthquake in 2010, 15 years ago. It is explained that it could take half a day to a day to lift the warning due to an overseas earthquake.
The Meteorological Agency identified regions expecting a maximum tsunami height of 3m, including most of the Pacific coast such as Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Chiba Prefectures, and parts of the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, and Wakayama Prefectures. In Kushiro City, Hokkaido, a seismic intensity of 2 was observed.
Local governments issued evacuation orders one after another. Tokyo Electric Power Company announced that it temporarily halted the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant at 9:05 AM.
The Japanese government upgraded the Prime Minister's Office's Information Liaison Office to the Cabinet Liaison Office and began assessing the damage. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa stated at a press conference, "At this point, we have not received reports of any human or material damage," explaining that three highway sections are restricted, and 41 railway lines nationwide have stopped operations.
Sendai Airport in Miyagi Prefecture closed its runway entirely and suspended aircraft takeoffs and landings. East Nippon Expressway Company restricted access to some sections in Hokkaido and Miyagi Prefecture.
Convenience store Seven-Eleven issued an emergency directive allowing franchise owners to decide on store operations, with approximately 260 stores temporarily closed as of 11:30 AM.


km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min, Reporter