A tsunami measuring up to 80 centimetres struck a port in northern Japan after a powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake off the country’s northern coast, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The waves were recorded at the port of Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture. The 80cm wave followed an earlier 70cm surge and arrived 41 minutes after the initial tremor, the agency said.
Japan remains acutely sensitive to seismic threats following the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which left around 18,500 people dead or missing.
That disaster was triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake along a major fault line, where the Philippine Sea plate subducts beneath the continental plate on which Japan sits.
High seismic risk remains
Authorities warn that a future major earthquake along the Nankai Trough could have catastrophic consequences. Government estimates suggest such an event, combined with a tsunami, could result in up to 298,000 deaths and cause economic losses of around $2 trillion.
Located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, Japan sits at the convergence of four major tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active countries in the world.
The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences roughly 1,500 earthquakes each year. Most are minor, though their impact varies depending on location and depth.
Source: CNA