A terrifying Magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Japan at about 2:10 AM eastern US time (07:10 UTC) New Year's Day. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center immediately issued several Tsunami Warnings for the area and the nearby region. Video below shows the quake.
Videos of Tsunami waves are already coming in. Below, a Tsunami is traveling UP a river, moving inland right on top of the normal flow of the river which heads down to the ocean!
Video of a tsunami travelling up the Seki River in Joetsu City, Japan ollowing a 7.5 magnitude earthquake striking 36 km northeast of Anamizu, Japan....pic.twitter.com/s7jjULriDQ
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) January 1, 2024
From the Tsunami Warning Center:
ZCZC
WEPA40 PHEB 010721
TSUPAC
TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 1
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER HONOLULU HI
0721 UTC MON JAN 1 2024
...PTWC TSUNAMI THREAT MESSAGE...
**** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE *****
THIS MESSAGE IS ISSUED FOR INFORMATION ONLY IN SUPPORT OF THE
UNESCO/IOC PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION SYSTEM AND IS
MEANT FOR NATIONAL AUTHORITIES IN EACH COUNTRY OF THAT SYSTEM.
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES WILL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF
ALERT FOR EACH COUNTRY AND MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL OR MORE REFINED
INFORMATION.
**** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE *****
PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS - FROM JMA
--------------------------------------------
* MAGNITUDE 7.4
* ORIGIN TIME 0710 UTC JAN 1 2024
* COORDINATES 37.5 NORTH 137.2 EAST
* DEPTH 0 KM / 0 MILES
* LOCATION NEAR THE WEST COAST OF HONSHU JAPAN
EVALUATION
----------
* AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 7.4 OCCURRED
NEAR THE WEST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN AT 0710 UTC ON MONDAY
JANUARY 1 2024.
* BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS... HAZARDOUS
TSUNAMI WAVES ARE POSSIBLE FOR COASTS LOCATED WITHIN 300 KM
OF THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER.
TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST
-----------------------
* HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI WAVES FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE ARE POSSIBLE
WITHIN 300 KM OF THE EPICENTER ALONG THE COASTS OF
JAPAN.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
-------------------
* GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THREATENED COASTAL AREAS
SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO INFORM AND INSTRUCT ANY COASTAL
POPULATIONS AT RISK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR OWN
EVALUATION... PROCEDURES AND THE LEVEL OF THREAT.
* PERSONS LOCATED IN THREATENED COASTAL AREAS SHOULD STAY ALERT
FOR INFORMATION AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FROM NATIONAL AND
LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
ESTIMATED TIMES OF ARRIVAL
--------------------------
* ESTIMATED TIMES OF ARRIVAL -ETA- OF THE INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE
FOR PLACES WITH A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI THREAT. ACTUAL ARRIVAL
TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN
WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.
LOCATION REGION COORDINATES ETA(UTC)
------------------------------------------------------------
NIIGATA JAPAN 38.0N 139.0E 0750 01/01
POTENTIAL IMPACTS
-----------------
* A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES. THE TIME BETWEEN WAVE CRESTS
CAN VARY FROM 5 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. THE HAZARD MAY PERSIST
FOR MANY HOURS OR LONGER AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE.
* IMPACTS CAN VARY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ONE SECTION OF COAST TO
THE NEXT DUE TO LOCAL BATHYMETRY AND THE SHAPE AND ELEVATION
OF THE SHORELINE.
* IMPACTS CAN ALSO VARY DEPENDING UPON THE STATE OF THE TIDE AT
THE TIME OF THE MAXIMUM TSUNAMI WAVES.
* PERSONS CAUGHT IN THE WATER OF A TSUNAMI MAY DROWN... BE
CRUSHED BY DEBRIS IN THE WATER... OR BE SWEPT OUT TO SEA.
NEXT UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
--------------------------------------
* THE NEXT MESSAGE WILL BE ISSUED IN ONE HOUR... OR SOONER IF
THE SITUATION WARRANTS.
* AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE FROM THE U.S.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT
EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV.
* FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT MAY BE FOUND AT
WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.
* COASTAL REGIONS OF HAWAII... AMERICAN SAMOA... GUAM... AND
CNMI SHOULD REFER TO PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES
SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE PLACES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT
WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.
* COASTAL REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA... OREGON... WASHINGTON...
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD ONLY REFER TO U.S.
NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES THAT CAN BE FOUND
AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.
$$
According to the US Geological Survey, the perceived shaking from this earthquake registered as a "9" on the Community Shake Scale. That level indicates perceived "Violent" shaking and expected "Heavy" damage."
VIDEO
The video below from outdoor pole cameras, shows the ferocious effects of the earthquake on shore:
A Tsunami Warning has been upgraded to a Major Tsunami Warning for parts of the Sea of #Japan after a strong earthquake off Ishikawa! Waves of up to 5m are expected.Those near coastal areas,rivers, or lakes should evacuate to higher ground immediately. @SLinJapan pic.twitter.com/KBK2EJpBOD
— Fawzan (@fawzieUL) January 1, 2024
WATCH: 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits western Japan. Reports of damage coming in pic.twitter.com/g2C1Fxetb4
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 1, 2024
Homes Collapsed:
Video of the aftermath of the earthquake that just hit Japan's Noto peninsula, shared by someone who works for the Matsunami Sake brewery.#Tsunami #japan #earthquake #NewYear pic.twitter.com/P1SHskFsTY
— Mobin (@mobin_911) January 1, 2024
Buildings Collapsed:
Collapsed building in Wajima #quake 地震で倒壊したとみられるビル（１日午後７時７分、石川県輪島市河井町で）＝福原悠介撮影（読売新聞）https://t.co/ePcoc5Ltsk pic.twitter.com/38O8pawZJ5
— Tokyotronic (@robotopia) January 1, 2024
LIVE COVERAGE
NHK Japan is providing live coverage as Tsunami Waves are hitting the shore line. In many areas, the Tsunami is higher than 10-13 FEET Meters as it comes ashore for ten full minutes. EVACUATIONS are in progress.
At least 30 Buildings have reportedly collapsed with numerous people trapped under the rubble.
Some cities are already ON FIRE.
Collapsed structures everywhere:
