Tokyo, December 9 — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday the government has received reports of 30 people injured and one residential fire after an earthquake off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture.
Speaking at a press conference on the Off the Coast of Hokkaido and Sanriku Subsequent Earthquake Advisory, Takaichi said authorities now assess the likelihood of a large earthquake from Hokkaido to the Sanriku offshore region as higher than normal and warned another quake is possible. She stressed that it remains uncertain whether a large earthquake will occur and urged everyone to take disaster-prevention actions to protect their own lives.
Takaichi asked residents in areas where preparedness measures are recommended, whether or not they have been directly affected, to closely follow information from the Japan Meteorological Agency and local authorities over the next week or so. She advised routinely checking emergency plans, identifying safe evacuation sites and routes, securing furniture, and being ready to evacuate immediately if shaking is felt while continuing necessary socioeconomic activities.
A magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on Monday, prompting evacuation orders for more than 100,000 people, CNN reported. The United States Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time about 44 miles off the northeast coast at a depth of roughly 33 miles.
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