Japan earthquake 'one of the longest I've experienced' says expat

01 January 2024 , 12:38

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A US expat living in Japan has spoken to the Mirror about the situation on the ground after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks tore through the country (Image: AP)

A US expat living in Japan has told how today's earthquake was the "longest" he'd experienced and compared it to the devastating 2011 quake that killed 18,500 people.

Just after 7am this morning (GMT), a barrage of lower magnitude tremors struck across Japan's Ishikawa prefecture, paving the way for an enormous 7.6 magnitude shake a short while later. The powerful seismic force flattened buildings, sparked roaring blazes and left an undetermined number of residents trapped under the rubble of their homes.

Jeffrey Hall, a researcher and educator who has lived in Tokyo for 15 years, was visiting family in Yokohama, around 250 miles away from the epicentre. Thankfully, due to being so far from the point of origin, his family's home was not shaking "violently", but Jeffrey said it was still terrifying due to how long the rumble lasted.

Speaking with The Mirror from Yokohama, he said. "Even though I was on the other side of the main island and the house was not shaking violently, it was one of the longest earthquakes I have ever experienced. The only comparable experience that I'd had was March 11, 2011, which I also experienced from the Tokyo area. It was evident that a very powerful earthquake had happened somewhere far away. Most earthquakes only last a few seconds at best."

Jeffrey Hall was visiting relatives when the quake struck (www.jeffreyjhall.com)

In 2011, a similar disaster struck when another strong earthquake set off towering tsunami waves that battered the shorelines. As they pummelled the coast, the force of the torrents caused damage to the Fukushima Power Plant, triggering the country's worst disaster since the Second World War.

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Detailing the evacuation efforts, Jeffrey, who lectures at Kanda University of International Studies, continued: "Televisions have been beeping with alerts since 4pm (7am GMT), updating everyone on aftershocks. This is very similar to what happened on 3/11. Hopefully, the reports that no nuclear reactors have been damaged are accurate."

Bottles and other items seen on the floor of a convenience store in Toyama City, Toyama (AP)

The tremors hit the country at an incredibly dangerous time, as a lot of people in Japan travel from their homes in the big cities to visit family and friends, or go sightseeing. Many of them journey to coastal towns. "Many people in Japan will be trying to find out if their friends or family are safe", he added.

Jeffrey said that a lot of people have been posting on Twitter, using the #助けて (save me) hashtag accompanied by a location. It is thought that they are asking others to check on their loves ones because they can't contact them.

Cracks seen on the ground in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan (AP)

"It is believed that it could be people trapped in partially collapsed buildings or stuck on roads that have been destroyed by the quake. The level of damage we are seeing on the news is shocking."

He also called out the "huge amount" of misinformation spreading on social media, which is "adding to the general sense of fear and worry". Some users have been sharing pictures and videos of the destructive 2011 quake, claiming the terrifying scenes were taking place today.

Ryan Fahey