By Sabiu Abdullahi
Central Japan was struck by a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake on Monday, prompting urgent evacuations and tsunami warnings.
The Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture experienced a series of quakes, including a 7.6-magnitude tremor.
National broadcaster NHK and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued alerts, urging residents to move to higher ground.
Confirmed tsunamis of 1.2 metres hit Wajima city, with a potential five-metre wave expected in Noto, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The US Geological Survey recorded multiple quakes, emphasising the severity of the seismic activity.
Japan, with its strict construction standards, faces haunting memories of the 2011 disaster and ongoing seismic threats.
Despite emergency preparedness, the nation remains on edge, with the historical seismic vulnerability of Tokyo echoing a century-old earthquake in 1923.