Japan Issues Tsunami Alert as Over 15 Earthquakes Strike

A tsunami advisory has been issued by the Japanese meteorological agency after multiple 6.1 magnitude earthquakes struck outlying islands in the Izu chain, on Sunday.

The second-lowest of a four-stage warning system advisory has asked people on islands in the Izu chain that stretches south from the Tokyo region, to stay away from the coast and river mouths.

Multiple earthquakes caused the Tsunami in Japan!

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on Earth. In 2011, a massive magnitude 9.0 quake triggered a tsunami and destroyed swaths of northern Japan which caused three reactors to melt at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Almost 20,000 people were killed in the series of disasters.

This time a series of offshore earthquakes hit the area on Thursday morning and the strongest measured magnitude 6.1 and was located at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). Although No damage was reported and the agency lifted the tsunami advisory about two hours later. Japan has a nationwide best tsunami warning system. The system usually issues the warning minutes after an Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) is issued, should there be expected waves. After the earthquake on Sunday, a Small tsunami surge of up to 0.2 meters was forecast for Honshu itself, with the warning applying to a large area stretching from Chiba Prefecture around Tokyo in the east to Kagoshima Prefecture in the west.  A tiny tsunami of about 30 centimeters (1 foot) was also observed in the Yaene area on the Hachijo island. The tsunami was originally predicted to arrive along the Izu islands at various times, including at Hachijo-jima at 11:50 a.m. and Izu Oshima at noon. A 30 cm tsunami was reported to have been observed at Hachijo-Jima (Yaene) at 12:17 p.m., though the agency said it could have been higher at other locations.

“A 1-meter wave may not seem significant. … But encountering such a wave can be extremely dangerous and it can sweep you off your feet,” a Meteorological Agency representative said at a news conference.