Workers were evacuated from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan’s northeast on Wednesday after the country issued tsunami warnings in the wake of an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia’s far east.
Tsunami alerts and evacuation orders were issued for the coastal areas of US, Japan and Canada after the earthquake hit near the Kamchatka Peninsula, damaging buildings and generating tsunami waves of up to four metres.
“We have evacuated all workers and employees” from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a spokesperson for the plant operator Tepco told AFP news agency, adding that “no abnormality” was observed at the site.
The facility’s three reactors went into a meltdown after it was struck by a tsunami in 2011, causing a radioactive nuclear accident.
No irregularities, damage or injuries had been recorded at the facility after this earthquake, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency upgraded its tsunami warning and said waves of up to three metres were expected. The waves were likely to hit the northern and eastern coasts of Japan as far as Wakayama, south of Osaka, between 10am and 11.30am local time.
The agency said a major tsunami could be expected for more than a day.
“Tsunamis can strike repeatedly over a long period of time. The waves that come after the first one may be larger, so it is important to continue evacuating until the tsunami warning or advisory is lifted,” the agency said in its advisory.
Japanese officials reported waves up to 50cm high in Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture at 11.28am and waves rising up to 40cm along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Ibaraki, the Japan Times reported.
Authorities ordered evacuations along much of the eastern seaboard, which was devastated by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba urged people in the affected areas to evacuate and move to higher ground or other safe locations. A task force to deal with the tsunami was set up at the prime minister’s office at 9.40am. He instructed the authorities to provide accurate information to the public and implement necessary measures needed in coordination with local municipalities.
The US Tsunami Warning System also issued a warning of “hazardous tsunami waves” within the next three hours. It warned that waves reaching more than 3m were possible along the coasts of Russia and Ecuador, and waves of 1-3m were possible in Japan, Hawaii, Chile and the Solomon Islands.
Smaller waves could hit the western coast of the US, it added.
US president Donald Trump confirmed a tsunami warning for those living in Hawaii due to a “massive earthquake that occurred in the Pacific Ocean”.
“A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States. Japan is also in the way. Please visit tsunami.gov for the latest information. STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!” he said in a social media post.
