In this Special Report, India Today Foreign Affairs Editor Geeta Mohan and Editor, India Today Global Pranay Upadhyay track the massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Aomori, Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued immediate tsunami warnings for Aomori, Hokkaido, and Iwate prefectures. Upadhyay reports, 'The epicenter of this 7.6 Richter scale earthquake was actually 15 miles... east of the Omori prefecture.' The broadcast confirms that tsunami waves of 40 centimeters have already been observed. Authorities have issued evacuation orders, urging residents to move to higher ground as the region, situated on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' braces for potential aftershocks.
00:00Now, after powerful earthquake strikes near Japan, tsunami warning has been issued in Japan.
00:05Evacuation orders have been issued.
00:08Tsunami warning has been issued for Japan's northeast coast.
00:12Two 40-centimeter tsunami waves were reported on the coast.
00:17That's the reports just coming in.
00:19This is going to be a very intense night for people in Japan, especially the administration.
00:26There was a massive earthquake.
00:28Some of the reports suggest it was a little over 7 on the Richter scale.
00:34And post the earthquake strikes, there have been tsunami warnings.
00:38A reminder of what happened during the tsunami in Japan when the nuclear facilities were impacted.
00:44But what will happen now and is it going to have a major impact or something we will have to wait and see.
00:50Those are visuals of the earthquake.
00:52You can see the entire area was shaken.
00:56Pranapadhyay, my colleague, joining me for more on this, Pranapadhyay.
01:00Massive earthquake and now a tsunami warning.
01:02Absolutely, Geeta.
01:05Japan is not a stranger to the seismic activity.
01:07But this is a 7.6 magnitude earthquake which jorted Japan.
01:12And that to be the northernmost prefecture of Japan, Omori.
01:15People have been asked to stay away from the coast.
01:18And have been asked to go to the safer places.
01:22And the tsunami warning has already been issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
01:28The around 20 inch is the prediction of the tsunami waves.
01:32As per the latest information, the visuals are clearly showing the impact.
01:37You know how massive this earthquake was.
01:397.6 is a huge magnitude.
01:42And the tsunami warning and the geodes have also been experienced in the Hokkaido and Honshu provinces of Japan.
01:50You know that Japan has faced the earthquake and has experienced the earthquake of magnitude up to 9 in 2011 when we had the Fukushima disaster.
01:59And even before that, Japan sits on the, Japan is situated on the ring of fire in the Pacific Ocean.
02:06So this earthquake also came in the Pacific Ocean.
02:08And the tsunami warning has been issued.
02:10But we are yet to get the further information as per as the damages are concerned, Geeta.
02:16Well, that's right.
02:17Like you said, 7.6 magnitude on the Richter scale.
02:20That's massive.
02:21And we do see some of the visuals and photos that are coming in of the damage that that has caused.
02:26That certainly is a matter for concern and scare.
02:30But in terms of not what the impact of the earthquake is, because Pranay, you've reported from Japan and know how resilient it is when it comes to earthquakes.
02:39But not so much when it comes to tsunamis.
02:44You're right, Geeta.
02:45But as far as Japan is concerned, you have also reported there.
02:49And we have seen that, you know, how the disaster resilient infrastructure has been developed by Japan.
02:53And in the recent past also, we have seen that how earthquakes have brought to Japan.
02:58But Japan has its own resilience as well as experience.
03:02To deal with such a situation, we have seen that the post Fukushima disaster of Japan in 2011,
03:10Japan has built further more structures.
03:13And, you know, they brought changes in their SOPs as well.
03:17So, we are here to get the further information that what exactly is the magnitude of the damage suffered in the Omori Frog Prefecture of Japan and the other associated areas.
03:29Because these geodes were widespread have been experienced in the provinces of Hokkaidu and Honshu as well.
03:35And this is the northernmost part of Japan.
03:40So, you know, this earthquake, you know, the epicentre of this earthquake 7.6 rictor scale earthquake was actually 50 miles, you know, east of the Omori prefecture of the coast.
03:54The epicentre was in the sea.
03:57So, therefore, there are high chances of having a tsunami wave.
04:01But the official confirmation of tsunami is not there as yet.
04:06Only the Japanese maritime agency and the Japanese, you know, the meteorological department has issued a warning.
04:12And people have been asked to stay away from the coast.
04:16And people, around 1 lakh people, according to some media reports, there are around 1 lakh people are affected.
04:21And they have been asked to go to safer places and go to dojo shelters.
04:26That's right.
04:26The Japanese meteorological agency is also the disaster management agencies in the areas are going to monitor through the night.
04:34Pranav Padhya, thank you so much for joining us.
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