Massive Earthquake Strikes Northern Japan; 30 Injured and Tsunami Waves Up to 28 Inches Hit Coastline
Following the massive earthquake that struck northern Japan, authorities announced that at least 30 individuals sustained injuries due to structural damages and blocked access to roads.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) December 9: The quake hit northern Japan, strewn with more than 30 people and brought tsunami waves over seven inches tall in some Pacific waters.
Earthquake Details and Initial Impact
According to an Associated Press News report, the earthquake occurred late on Monday near the eastern coast of Japan's Aomori Prefecture about 11:15 PM local time about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the northern coast of Japan's Honshu Island, off the north coast of Japan. and caused extremely small tsunami waves to batter many coastal areas along the coast.
As a result of the earthquake, many social media users have posted that it shook for more than 60 seconds once it struck. One user even posted a video on Twitter of emergency alert sirens asking everyone to evacuate as quickly as possible to higher ground.
Government Response and Emergency Measures
Japan‘s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said that Japan has set up an emergency task force to determine the extent to which disaster in northern Japan was being experienced. She asked that residents living nearby the affected area stay updated through their local emergency management offices.
By this morning, Takaichi said they had reported around 30 injuries.
Infrastructure, Power, and Transportation Disruptions
The Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara advised residents to evacuate to high ground until all clear; nearly 800 households are without electrical power, Shinkansen and local trains stopped temporarily.
Nuclear power facilities in the vicinity of the quake began conducting safety checks. The Nuclear Regulatory Authority reported that about 450 liters of water from a spent-fuel pond at Rokkasho was released, although the regulatory authority stated that the water had not reached harmful levels and posed no risk to public safety.
Bullet-train activities were delayed in parts of the Tohoku Shinkansen while engineers checked the infrastructure for damage. Around 200 people are stuck at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.
Tsunami Warnings and Coastal Effects
A tsunami wave that created waves up to 70 centimeters (28 inches) hit Kuji Port in Iwate while smaller wave explosions in Hokkaido and Aomori were reported to be due to the earthquake. Although tsunamis were initially suspected of creating three meters or more tsunami waves, emergency notifications for tsunamis were downgraded early in the morning of Tuesday, the day after the earthquake.
Approximately 28,000 people have since been ordered or have requested to evacuate.
