A5 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan on Monday afternoon, triggering a tsunami warning, according to the United States Geological Survey and the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The earthquake, which had a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles), struck at 4:10 p.m. local time around 42 kilometres (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, according to USGS.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning along coastal regions of western Japan.
Images from the country show collapsed buildings, cracks in roads and a fire in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture.
The earthquake on Monday sliced through highways in western Japan collapsed buildings, caused blazes and disrupted communications. As many as 33,000 households may be affected by power outages, said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa, according to NHK.
At least five highways have been closed and several flights cancelled across airports in Ishikawa prefecture. Two flights were cancelled at Noto Airport, where there is a crack on the runway. A flight from Tokyo landed earlier but turned back to the capital. There were 15 cancellations at Komatsu Airport. Schools were not in session, but 21 school facilities are being formed into evacuation centres.
At least 8,500 military personnel are on standby to help with emergency efforts following the quake, said Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara. Health officials in Suzu City said some doctors could not treat wounded patients because damaged roads mean they are unable to travel to work.
Civilians screamed in videos posted to social media after entire homes were flattened in western Japan. In another video, people crouched under tables at a local bowling alley, where tremors shook the infrastructure and TV screens could be seen shaking from the ceiling. “My city is in a terrible state,” one person said in a video posted from Noto. “I hope there is no fire.”
