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.
It said tsunami waves of up to 0.3 meters could reach South Korea’s eastern shore between 0929 GMT and 1017 GMT.
Gangwon province told residents in emergency text messages to stay away from the coast and evacuate to higher ground. The city of Samcheok advised residents to move to areas higher than a three-story building, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said.