Japan has urged residents to “evacuate immediately” after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the central region.
A major tsunami warning has been issued for the Ishikawa coastal area of Noto, warning of waves of up to 5 meters (16 feet).
Authorities also issued tsunami warnings for the neighboring prefectures of Niigata and Toyama, where they said waves could reach 3 meters.
Public television showed “Evacuate” in large letters, urging residents to flee to higher ground despite the cold.
An NHK anchor urged affected viewers: “We understand that your house, your belongings, are very valuable to you, but your life is more important than anything else. Run to the highest ground possible.”
People posted videos of Monday’s earthquake that shook their homes and subways on New Year’s Day.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said 21 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater shook central Japan in just 90 minutes on Monday. The strongest tremor occurred at 16:10 local time (07:10 GMT), with a magnitude of 7.6.
Several local media reported that a “major tsunami warning” had been issued for the first time since 2011, when a powerful earthquake struck northeastern Japan and generated waves up to 40 meters high.
Due to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates meet, Japan is one of the most seismically active countries on Earth. The constant threat of earthquakes has led Japan to develop one of the most sophisticated tsunami warning systems in the world.
Major roads near the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake were closed. According to utility provider Hokuriku Electric Power, more than 36,000 homes in the area were left without power.
Japan’s nuclear authority said there was “no risk of radiation from nuclear power plants” in areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi warned residents to be prepared for more earthquakes.
South Korea’s meteorological agency warned that a tsunami wave of up to 0.3 meters could hit the country’s east coast at 6:29 p.m. and on Monday at 7:17 p.m. local time. He asked residents of mountainous Gangwon province to evacuate to higher ground.
Russia has issued tsunami warnings for the far eastern port cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka, its state news agency Tass said.
In 2011, Japan was hit by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that devastated its northeastern coastal communities, killing nearly 18,000 people and displacing tens of thousands.
These tsunami waves caused a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima plant, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.