January 1, 2024 Japan earthquake

Some doctors cannot treat patients wounded by an earthquake on Monday because damaged roads mean they are unable to travel to work, according to health officials in Suzu city in Ishikawa prefecture.

Images emerged of huge cracks in roads in western Japan, disrupting transport services and causing extensive damage to infrastructure.

The 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck at 4:10 p.m. local time in western Japan on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey and the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Hospital officials in Suzu city said the facility is operating on a spare generator because of a power outage, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

Medical staff at another hospital in the city of Wajima have been treating patients in a parking lot, according to NHK.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says authorities are working to assess any damage following Monday's 7.5 earthquake in western Japan.

"In response to the M7 earthquake at Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture, we have immediately set up the Prime Minister’s Office of Response - Disaster Counter Measure HQ," the prime minister wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday.

"Putting human lives as priority, we are making every effort to assess damages - putting forth all efforts in disaster response. For those in affected areas, please pay close attention to the latest information and place personal safety as your priority."

Authorities in western and coastal regions of Japan have warned residents of tsunami waves after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake rocked the East Asian country on Monday afternoon local time.

The quake struck around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, triggering several aftershocks, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Tsunami waves have been reported in several areas and officials have warned that more waves are expected, advising people in affected areas to evacuate to higher ground.

Under Japan's tsunami warning system, waves expected less than 1 meter fall under "tsunami advisory," while waves expected above 3 meters fall under "tsunami warning" and waves expected above 5 meters fall under "major tsunami warning."

Tsunami warnings have been issued for:

Japan’s weather agency warned that powerful aftershocks could continue over the next three days to a week after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Ishikawa prefecture on Monday afternoon, triggering tsunami warnings.

The agency urged people to be cautious of potential building collapses and possible landslides in areas where heavy shaking has been observed.

Aftershocks are occurring in a wide area, the agency added.

According to the United States Geological Survey, at least 14 smaller aftershocks were reported near the region where the 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck.

Suzu city officials in Japan's Ishikawa prefecture have told CNN buildings have been damaged following Monday's quake and there are reports of injuries.

Images on Japan's public broadcaster NHK show houses shaking. 

Meanwhile, Suzu police said they've received several reports of people trapped in their houses, according to NHK. The police and fire department are trying to gauge the situation.

Some services of Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains have been suspended after a powerful earthquake struck Japan on Monday, according to the website of train operator JR East.

The JR Hokuriku and Joetsu Shinkansen lines are suspended as of 6:50 p.m. local time, following a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks, it said.

The train operator added that services on other lines are also experiencing delays.

A tsunami threat has been declared in the eastern Russian cities of Vladivostok, Nakhodka, and the island of Sakhalin following the 7.5 earthquake in Japan, Russian state media TASS reported Monday.

The areas face onto the Sea of Japan.

No evacuations have been reported so far.

The South Korean Meteorological Administration is watching for possible sea level changes in several areas along its east coast following the 7.5 earthquake that hit western Japan Monday.

The areas being monitored include Gangneung, Yang Yang and Goseong in Gangwon province and Pohang city in north Gyeongsang province.

More than 32,500 homes in Japan's Ishikawa prefecture are without power after the area was struck by a powerful earthquake and aftershocks on Monday, according to Hokuriku Electric Power. 

Tsunami warnings have been issued along coastal regions of western Japan, and people have been urged to evacuate following the 7.5 magnitude earthquake.