Japan quake rescuers race against time as survival limit nears
January 4, 2023 – 10:29AM
Burnt buildings are among the debris along Asaichi-dori street, which burned down due to a fire following an earthquake, in Wajima, Japan, January 4, 2024. REUTERS
WAJIMA, Japan — Thousands of rescuers pressed on in their search for survivors of a New Year’s Day quake that killed at least 77 people in Japan, hoping to save as many as they can within a three day survival window which ends on Thursday afternoon.
“There’s little time left until it’s 72 hours since the quake,” Masuhiro Izumiya, the mayor of hard-hit Suzu city, said on Wednesday evening at a regional disaster response meeting.
Japan quake: survivors face freezing rain, threat of landslides
January 3, 2023 – 11:47AM
Evacuated people rest at a green house converted as an evacuation center, in the aftermath of an earthquake, in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 2, 2024, REUTERS
KASHIMAJI — The death toll from a massive earthquake that struck Japan on New Years Day rose to 62 on Wednesday as authorities rushed to bring aid to survivors facing freezing temperatures and heavy rain forecast for later in the day.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck the Noto peninsula on Monday afternoon, leveling houses and cutting off remote areas from much-needed aid.
At least 57 dead, buildings destroyed as powerful quakes hit Japan
January 3, 2023 – 8:51AM
A woman bikes amid damaged houses in Noto town in the Noto peninsula facing the Sea of Japan, northwest of Tokyo, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, following Monday’s deadly earthquake. A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan have damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more quakes could lie ahead. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
WAJIMA, Japan — A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan left at least 57 people dead and damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned Tuesday that more quakes could lie ahead.
Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after a magnitude 7.6 temblor slammed the area.
‘Helpless’ Japan earthquake survivors ask for water
January 3, 2023 – 5:44AM
Residents shelter inside a plastic greenhouse after being evacuated in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 2, 2024, a day after a major 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture. (Photo by JIJI PRESS / via Agence France-Presse)
SHIKA, Japan —Waiting in the cold, hundreds of residents of the earthquake-hit Japanese town of Shika stood in a queue to get rations of a suddenly scarce, but vital, commodity: drinking water.
The line snaked out the door and around the town hall building, past paving stones jutting out of the ground that were forced upward by the powerful series of tremors on New Year’s Day.
1,300 Filipinos in Japan quake epicenter safe, says PH embassy
January 3, 2023 – 5:32AM
A staff member of Japan Meterological Agency speaks at a press conference in Tokyo Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, following an earthquake. Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate seaside areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline Monday, Jan.1. (Kyodo News via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday offered assistance to Japan which was hit by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on New Year’s Day, saying Filipinos were deeply saddened by the tragedy that killed at least 30 people.
“We have made the offer to assist in any way that we can. In the face of shared climate challenges within the Pacific Ring of Fire, we stand united with Japan and stay ready to provide support from the Philippines,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Japan quake toll nears 50 with many feared trapped in freezing cold
January 2, 2023 – 9:22PM
An aerial view shows collapsed houses, cars and roads caused by an earthquake in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 2, 2024, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
WAJIMA, Japan — A powerful earthquake that hit Japan on New Year’s Day killed at least 48 people, with rescue teams struggling in freezing temperatures on Tuesday to reach isolated areas where many people are feared trapped under toppled buildings.
In Suzu, a coastal town of just over 5,000 households near the quake’s epicenter, 90% of houses may have been destroyed, according to its mayor Masuhiro Izumiya.
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OCD ready to extend assistance to quake-hit Japan
January 2, 2024 – 6:05PM
Houses fallen by an earthquake are seen in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. A series of powerful earthquakes in western Japan damaged homes, cars and boats, with officials warning people on Tuesday to stay away from their homes in some areas because of a continuing risk of major quakes and tsunamis. (Kyodo News via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) is on standby and is ready to assist in the response operation in Japan which was jolted by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on New Year’s Day.
OCD issued the statement after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. offered to help the country after the earthquake killed at least 48 people and triggered tsunamis within Ishikawa region.
South Korea protests Japan tsunami alerts showing disputed islets
January 2, 2024 – 4:41PM
South Korean emergency workers patrol a beach in Gangneung on January 1, 2024, as South Korea issued tsunami advisory after a major earthquake in Japan. A succession of 21 earthquakes registering 4.0 magnitude or stronger struck central Japan in just over 90 minutes on January 1, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. (Photo by Yonhap/AFP)
SEOUL — South Korea has protested to Japan over a tsunami advisory issued by its neighbor following the powerful New Year’s Day earthquake that featured a map displaying a group of its islands also claimed by Tokyo, officials in Seoul said on Tuesday.
Although ties have improved in recent years, the two remain at odds over the sovereignty of the islets, called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, which lie about halfway between them in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.
Bongbong Marcos: PH offers assistance to Japan after massive quake
January 2, 2024 – 1:23PM
MUTUAL INTERESTS Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the start of a bilateral meeting in Malacañang in this file photo taken on Nov. 3. —PPA POOL
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday offered assistance to Japan after it was struck by a massive earthquake on New Year’s Day.
At least eight people were killed in a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that triggered tsunamis in the Ishikawa region of Japan.
Japan in ‘battle against time’ to rescue New Year’s Day quake survivors
January 2, 2024 – 10:10AM
A collapsed building caused by an earthquake is seen in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 2, 2024, in this photo released by Kyodo. Kyodo via REUTERS
TOKYO — Japan on Tuesday struggled to assess the full extent of damage from an earthquake that struck its west coast, killing at least eight people, wrecking buildings and roads and knocking out power to swathes of homes in freezing temperatures.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck in the middle of the afternoon on Monday, prompting residents in some coastal areas to flee to higher ground as tsunami waves about 1 meter (3.3 ft) hit Japan’s western seaboard.
No Filipinos hurt after major Japan quake, some evacuated — PH envoy
January 2, 2024 – 8:11AM
Road cracks caused by an earthquake is seen in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 1, 2024, in this photo released by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines — No Filipino has been killed or hurt following the major earthquake that hit Japan on New Year’s day, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Albano said on Tuesday.
Citing reports from Filipino community leaders, Albano said Japan-based Filipinos are safe, adding that some have already evacuated.
IN PHOTOS: Japan hit by massive earthquake on New Year’s Day
January 1, 2024 – 9:29PM
A tsunami warning is shown on TV in Yokohama, near Tokyo Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes in the Sea of Japan. AP
TOKYO — Tsunami waves over a meter high hit Japan on Monday after a huge earthquake that damaged homes, set off a major fire, closed highways and prompted authorities to urge people to run to higher ground.
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Tsunami threat from Japan quake has ‘largely passed’–US agency
January 1, 2024 – 7:57PM
People stand next to large cracks in the pavement after evacuating into a street in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture on January 1, 2024, after a major 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture in the afternoon. Tsunami waves over a metre high hit central Japan on January 1 after a series of powerful earthquakes that damaged homes, closed highways and prompted authorities to urge people to run to higher ground. AFP
The tsunami threat from a powerful earthquake that struck central Japan on Monday has “largely passed”, a US agency said, after waves over a meter high had earlier hit some areas.
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Tsunami hits South Korea’s east coast after massive Japan quake
January 1, 2024 – 6:38PM
People evacuate to higher ground at a parking space of a junior high school after a tsunami warning issued caused by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 1, 2024, in this still image from a video released by Kyodo. Kyodo via REUTERS
SEOUL — The first tsunami reached South Korea’s east coast at 0921 GMT at a height of 45 cm (1.5 ft) in the wake of a massive earthquake that hit Japan on Monday, South Korea’s meteorological agency said.
The tsunami can grow after the initial waves and may continue for more than 24 hours, the agency said in an advisory.
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No tsunami warning in PH after powerful Japan quake
January 1, 2024 – 6:10PM
A torii gate is damaged after an earthquake at a shrine in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes in the Sea of Japan. (Kyodo News via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Japan on New Year’s Day poses no tsunami threat to the Philippines, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
“No tsunami threat to Philippines,” Phivolcs announced on its website.
S. Korea’s east province urges evacuation after massive Japan quake
January 1, 2024 – 6:05PM
People evacuate to higher ground at a parking space of a junior high school after a tsunami warning issued caused by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 1, 2024, in this still image from a video released by Kyodo. Kyodo via REUTERS
SEOUL — South Korea’s Gangwon province warned residents to take precautions and evacuate to higher grounds after a massive earthquake hit north central Japan on Monday and triggered tsunami warnings, according the safety ministry.
South Korea’s meteorological agency earlier said sea levels in some parts of the Gangwon province on the east coast may rise after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit north central Japan and issued an advisory for caution.
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DMW activates helpline for Filipinos affected by powerful Japan quake
January 1, 2024 – 5:54PM
Road cracks caused by an earthquake is seen in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 1, 2024, in this photo released by Kyodo. (Kyodo via REUTERS)
MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families who may have been affected by the powerful earthquake in Japan were advised by Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac to contact the agency’s help desk.
Cacdac made the appeal in a tweet on Monday hours after the magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck.
Around 33,500 households without power after Japan quakes
January 1, 2024 – 5:54PM
Collapsed torii gate caused by an earthquake is seen at Onohiyoshi Shrine in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 1, 2024, in this photo released by Kyodo. Kyodo via REUTERS
TOKYO — Around 33,500 households were without power around the epicenter of a series of major earthquakes in central Japan, local utilities said.
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Total of 21 quakes above 4.0 magnitude hit Japan—Met office
January 1, 2024 – 5:33PM
Japan Meteorological Agency | PHOTO: WikiMedia Commons / Hanonimas
TOKYO — A succession of 21 earthquakes registering 4.0 magnitude or stronger struck central Japan in just over 90 minutes on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
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Major highways closed near epicenter of Japan quakes
January 1, 2024 – 5:24PM
PHOTO: Japan Meteorological Agency
TOKYO — Several major highways were closed on Monday around the epicenter of a series of major earthquakes in central Japan, the road operator said.
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Russia declares tsunami warnings in far eastern regions–agencies
January 1, 2024 – 5:03PM
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Russia’s emergencies ministry said that parts of the western coast Sakhalin island, situated close to Japan on Russia’s Pacific seaboard, were under threat of tsunami, and that the local population was being evacuated, state news agency TASS reported on Monday.
A massive earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck central Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami warning and advisories for residents to evacuate.
First tsunami waves hit Japan after major quake–weather agency
January 1, 2023 – 4:56PM
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
TOKYO — The first tsunami waves, some more than a meter high, arrived on the north coast of central Japan on Monday after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the region.
Waves as high as 1.2 meters (four feet) hit Wajima port in Ishikawa prefecture at 4:21 pm (0721 GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said, after the US Geological Survey and other agencies registered a major 7.5 magnitude quake little more than 10 minutes earlier.
Japan says no abnormalities reported in nuclear plants after quakes
January 1, 2023 – 4:14PM
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
TOKYO — No abnormalities have been reported so far after a series of major earthquakes rocked central Japan on Monday, the government said.
“It has been confirmed that there are no abnormalities at Shika nuclear power plant (in Ishikawa) and other stations as of now,” government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said.
5-meter tsunami waves possible for 300km along Japan coast–agencies
January 1, 2023 – 4:14PM
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
TOKYO — Hazardous tsunami waves of up to five meters were possible along the north coast of central Japan on Monday within 300 kilometers of a magnitude 7.5 quake’s epicenter, US and Japanese agencies said.
“Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 km of the epicenter along the coasts of Japan,” the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, while the Japan Meteorological Agency warned the waves could be up to five metres high.
Massive earthquake jolts Japan, residents rush to evacuate coast
January 1, 2023 – 3:46PM
FROM GOOGLE MAPS
TOKYO — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit north central Japan on Monday, public broadcaster NHK said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning along western coastal regions of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama prefectures.