Tsunami waves observed in Japan after powerful quake off Philippines
Tokyo, June 8
Tsunami waves of several centimetres to around 20 cm have been observed along Japan's Pacific coast as well as other parts of the country after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The weather agency issued tsunami advisories for coastal areas stretching from Ibaraki Prefecture on Japan's eastern Pacific coast to the island prefecture of Okinawa in the south on Monday morning, reports Xinhua news agency.
According to the agency, tsunami waves measuring around 20 cm have been observed at Chichijima Island of the Ogasawara Islands, located south of Tokyo, as well as in Kushimoto Town in Wakayama Prefecture and at Miyazaki Port in Miyazaki Prefecture.
Multiple other locations in the prefectures of Kagoshima, Mie, and Miyazaki recorded waves of around 10 cm. Minor tsunami waves were also reported in Okinawa and elsewhere.
As of 4:50 p.m. local time, all tsunami advisories have been lifted.
Over 195,000 people in 10 prefectures, including Chiba, Kochi and Okinawa, were urged to evacuate at one point, Kyodo News reported, citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) on Monday lifted its tsunami warning, hours after ordering evacuations of northern coastal areas threatened by tsunami waves following the Philippines earthquake.
In a statement, BMKG said the tsunami warning status ended after observations showed that sea level conditions had returned to normal.
On Monday morning, minor tsunami waves were detected at several coastal monitoring stations in northern Indonesia, the agency added.
The powerful earthquake in the Philippines has caused panic among residents in some coastal areas of northeastern Indonesia, local media reported on Monday. The tremor was felt across various cities and villages, but there have been no immediate reports of casualties.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said a magnitude 7.8 offshore earthquake hit waters in the southern Philippines on Monday morning. In response, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency has issued a tsunami warning for the country's northeastern coastal areas.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Scary how a quake in Philippines triggers waves reaching Japan and even Indonesia. The Pacific Ring of Fire is no joke. This shows how interconnected our world is—nature doesn't care about borders. 🙏🙏
Minor waves of 20 cm? I get it's precautionary, but with 195,000 people urged to evacuate, it feels like a bit of overreaction. Then again, better safe than sorry. Japan's infrastructure is resilient, so maybe they were just being thorough. Still, hope the evacuees get back to normal soon.
Indonesia and Philippines are always on alert. Major quakes and tsunamis are part of life there. I just hope their tourism and fishing communities don't suffer too much. And kudos to the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System—we need to keep strengthening regional cooperation. 🌊💪
This is a reminder that tsunamis can happen anywhere along the Pacific coast. Japan's response was swift and efficient. But I wonder—are there enough drills in places like Andaman and Nicobar islands? We had that 2004 tragedy, and we still see lax coastal management in some areas. Needs attention.
Imagine the panic if this happened during a busy holiday season. The fact that advisories were lifted within hours shows good science at work. But Indonesia lifting its warning so quickly—did they confirm no risk, or was it too premature? Still, relieved no casualties reported. 🙏
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