UPDATE 2 - Houses collapse, railway services suspended as massive quakes hit Japan

UPDATE ADDED MORE INFORMATION; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK

By Esra Tekin and Islamuddin Sajid

ISTANBUL (AA) – Many houses collapsed and railway services were temporarily suspended in some areas of Japan after large earthquakes hit the country, triggering a major tsunami warning.

The East Japan Railway Co. said they suspended operations of all Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines due to the quakes, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called on the public to be alert for more powerful earthquakes, while authorities urged residents living near the coasts to evacuate to safer areas.

So far, thousands of people have been evacuated from Noto, the Ishikawa Prefecture, and other cities.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the quake had caused damage to buildings and roads.

"We have received reports of a building collapse with six people under the rubble," he told reporters.

Photos on social media also showed huge destruction caused by the earthquake to roads and buildings in the Ishikawa prefecture. With power lines damaged, some 32,500 homes in the Ishikawa prefecture lost power.

Three successive strong earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.7, 6.1, and 7.6 jolted Japan on Monday, leading to a tsunami warning.

“There was an earthquake at around 4.18 pm (0718GMT). The epicenter was in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, and a maximum seismic intensity of 5+ was observed. Do not approach dangerous areas where the shaking was strong,” said the Japan Meteorological Agency on X.

“Currently, a major tsunami warning has been announced for Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture,” it added.

- Tsunami alerts

Tsunami alerts were also issued for the prefectures of Niigata, Toyama, Yamagata, Fukui, and Hyogo along the coast of the Japan Sea, said Japan’s NHK World.

All residents near the coast have been asked to leave immediately, NHK reported.

"Tsunami waves may be higher than estimated and are expected to hit repeatedly. Keep evacuating to even higher ground wherever possible and do not leave the safe area until the warning is lifted,” the Cabinet office in charge of disaster prevention said on X.

There are no reports of irregularities at the nuclear power plants in the area, according to NHK.

South Korean authorities on Monday also issued alerts of rising sea levels in parts of the East Sea also known as Sea of Japan in Tokyo following strong earthquakes off Japan’s west coast, local media said.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said a tsunami in Japan could cause a rise in sea levels off the east coast of South Korea, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), 11 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 5 to 7.6 occurred within two hours on the Noto Peninsula and offshore Ishikawa.

The statement also reported that in the evening, more than 20 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 4 to 5 occurred in the region.

The agency predicted that aftershocks of various magnitudes could continue into the next week.

Ishikawa Prefectural Police reported that several buildings collapsed in the area and that there were six people awaiting rescue from the debris. A fire broke out in a building in the city of Wajima.

The tremors were felt not only in Ishikawa but also in the Toyama, Fukui, and Niigata prefectures along the coast of the Sea of Japan (East Sea), as well as in the capital Tokyo and surrounding areas.

Following the earthquakes, it was reported that tsunami waves with a maximum height of three meters (9.8 feet) reached the coasts of Yamagata, Niigata, and Toyama.