World

Japan quake : Russia & N. Korea also issue tsunami warnings

Published

1 year ago

January 1, 2024

editor

A powerful earthquake has struck central Japan, destroying buildings, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and prompting residents in some coastal areas to flee to higher ground.
The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 triggered waves of about 1 metre along Japan’s west coast and neighbouring South Korea on Monday, with authorities saying larger waves could follow.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued tsunami warnings for the prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama. A major tsunami warning – the first since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan – was initially issued for Ishikawa but later downgraded.

Russia and North Korea also issued tsunami warnings for some areas.

Government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that the earthquake had caused several destroyed houses, and led to fires, and army personnel have been dispatched to help with rescue operations while authorities continue to assess the damage.

More strong quakes in the area, where seismic activity has been simmering for more than three years, could occur over coming days, JMA official Toshihiro Shimoyama said.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters he had instructed search and rescue teams to do everything possible to rescue lives, even though access to quake-hit areas is difficult due to blocked roads.

Chris Gilbert, reporting from Tokyo, said authorities had located several people trapped.

“The government has identified at least 6-10 people trapped inside buildings and maybe much higher than that, considering the government is usually quite conservative about these numbers until their official,” Gilbert said.

Footage aired by NHK appeared to show buildings collapsing in Ishikawa, and tremors shook buildings in the capital Tokyo on the opposite coast.

More than 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities have been confirmed at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui prefecture.

Hokuriku’s Shika plant in Ishikawa, which was located the closest to the quake’s epicentre, had already halted its two reactors before the quake for regular inspection and saw no impact from the quake, the agency said.

South Korea’s meteorological agency said the sea level in some parts of the Gangwon province on the east coast may rise.

Japan is one of the countries in the world most at risk from earthquakes. A huge earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, killing nearly 20,000 people, devastating towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.

(Aljazeera)

World

South Korean President arrested

Published

8 hours ago

January 15, 2025

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South Korean authorities have arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces charges of insurrection following an attempt to impose martial law.
Yoon is now at the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) – he said he agreed to the interrogation “even though it is an illegal investigation, in order to prevent any unsavoury bloodshed”.

Authorities served the warrant after an hours-long standoff with his security staff and supporters, which saw investigators using ladders and wire cutters to enter Yoon’s residence.

Yoon had been holed up for weeks – investigators tried to arrest him earlier this month but failed.

This marks the first time in South Korea’s history that a sitting president has been arrested.

Yoon’s impeachment trial, which will decide if he is removed from office, started yesterday but ended within four minutes because of his absence.

World

Gaza ceasefire deal, at closest point – Qatar

Published

21 hours ago

January 14, 2025

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Key mediator Qatar says a Gaza ceasefire deal is at the closest point it has been in the past few months, adding that many of the obstacles in the negotiations have been ironed out.
As ceasefire negotiations advance, residents in Gaza are expressing “a mixture of optimism and deep-seated scepticism”, according to our team on the ground.

At least 61 Palestinians have been killed and 281 others injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken to Gaza as hostages.

Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza in response, and the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 46,600 people have been killed there during the war.

(Agencies)

World

LA fires death toll rises to 24 as high winds expected

Published

2 days ago

January 13, 2025

editor

Weather forecasters in California are warning fierce winds which fuelled the infernos around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week, as fire crews on the ground race to make progress controlling three wildfires.

Officials warned that after a weekend of relatively calm winds, the notoriously dry Santa Ana winds would pick up again from Sunday night until Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 60mph (96km/h).

Ahead of the wind’s uptick, some progress has been made in stopping the spread of the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of the city. Local firefighters are being assisted by crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, who continue to arrive.

The LA County medical examiner updated the death toll on Sunday to 24, while officials said earlier at least another 16 remain missing.

Sixteen of the dead were found in the Eaton fire zone, while eight were found in the Palisades area.

Three conflagrations continue to burn around Los Angeles.

The largest fire is the Palisades, which has now burnt through more than 23,000 acres and is 13% contained.

The Eaton fire is the second biggest and has burnt through more than 14,000 acres. It is 27% contained.

The Hurst fire has grown to 799 acres and has been almost fully contained.

The wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history.

On Sunday, private forecaster Accuweather increased its preliminary estimate of financial losses from the blazes to between $250bn-$275bn.

(BBC News)