Magnitude 7.5 Earthquake Rocks Northern Japan, Leaving Dozens Injured

Tue Dec 09 2025 17:35:42 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A powerful earthquake struck northeastern Japan, resulting in injuries and mass evacuations as authorities warn of potential aftershocks. The earthquake has disrupted services and left thousands without power.

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit northern Japan's Aomori region, causing injuries to at least 30 people and prompting evacuations. The earthquake, which occurred at a depth of 50 km, led to tsunami warnings, emergency responses, and ongoing alerts for potential aftershocks. The Japanese government is assessing the damage and has initiated rescue operations, ensuring power plants in the region remain unaffected.

At least 30 people were injured after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit north-eastern Japan on Monday night, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

The quake occurred at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50 km (31 mi), about 80 km off the coast of the Aomori region, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Tsunami warnings were briefly issued, with waves of up to 70 cm (27 inches) reported.

Many train services were suspended and thousands of homes were left without power as a result of the quake.

Authorities have warned that a stronger tremor could occur in the coming days and have urged the public to remain vigilant for at least a week.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi advised citizens to review their earthquake preparedness plans, stressing the importance of securing furniture and being ready to evacuate quickly if they feel shaking.

Orders were issued for approximately 90,000 residents to evacuate, while the Aomori prefectural government reported that around 2,700 homes have been affected by power outages. The East Japan Railway has also suspended services along the affected areas.

The Japanese government has established a crisis management center and an emergency team to address the situation, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirming that efforts are underway to assess the damage and implement disaster response measures.

In a positive note, Tohoku Electric Power confirmed that there were no irregularities reported at its nuclear plants following the quake, nor at the Fukushima site, which was devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that claimed thousands of lives.

Japan is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences thousands of earthquakes annually, with significant megaquake threats identified in the future.