Tsunami alerts: Indian embassy in Japan sets up emergency control room

Tokyo: The Indian Embassy in Japan on Monday set up an emergency control room for Indians wanting any assistance in the wake of the tsunami alerts issued by the authorities after a series of strong earthquakes jolted the country’s western coastline.

Japan issued tsunami alerts and told people to evacuate seaside areas after a series of strong quakes on its western coastline on Monday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported quakes off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4 p.m., one of them with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6.

Notably, a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck central Japan and its western coast on Monday, triggering warnings for residents to evacuate, knocking out power to thousands of homes and disrupting flights and rail services to the affected region.

The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 triggered waves of around 1 metre along parts of the Sea of Japan coast with a larger wave expected, as per the country’s public broadcaster NHK.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued tsunami warnings for the coastal prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama. Russia also issued tsunami warnings in its far eastern cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka.