A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off Aomori Prefecture late Monday, shaking the Tohoku region and Hokkaido and prompting tsunami warnings. The event evoked memories of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake for many residents, who fled to evacuation centers overnight.
The earthquake, centered in waters off Aomori Prefecture, registered an upper 6 on Japan's seismic intensity scale in Hachinohe City and a lower 6 in nearby Oirase and Hashikami towns. A 78-year-old inn owner in Hachinohe described it as 'a tremendous shake, just like what I experienced in the Great East Japan Earthquake.' At home inside his inn when it struck, plates crashed from shelves, leaving him to only protect himself. The safety of two guests was confirmed with no power outage, though he faced a daunting cleanup.
In Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, a tsunami warning led residents to higher ground amid blaring evacuation calls that heightened tension. Around 50 people gathered at the gymnasium of Kamaishi Municipal Elementary School on elevated terrain. A 79-year-old woman, who evacuated with her husband carrying warm clothes, medicine, hand warmers, and some food, said, 'The community address system reminds me of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and I feel very uneasy.'
Police in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, assisted evacuations on the streets. A 54-year-old woman hurried up a slope with her three family members and pet dog, noting, 'At first, I wasn’t convinced I should evacuate, but then the tsunami warning was issued, so I rushed. It’s late at night, so I’m scared.'
In seaside Urakawa, Hokkaido, a 49-year-old inn owner evacuated eight groups of guests upon the warning and drove to a nearby gymnasium. The intense shaking lasted about 40 seconds. He recalled a July incident near Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, when similar orders were issued, which helped him remain calm. While the warnings were later lifted, the tremors stirred vivid recollections of the 2011 disaster among locals.