Tsunami warning issued for Okinawa after strong quake hits near Taiwan

A tsunami warning for waves of up to 3 meters was issued Wednesday morning for islands in Okinawa Prefecture following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off Taiwan that registered over 4 on the 7-point Japanese shindo seismic intensity scale.

There is a likelihood that waves will reach higher and that it may reach the coast earlier or later than expected. Residents near the coasts are advised to evacuate to higher ground to ensure their safety.

Tsunami of up to 3 meters high initially were forecast to reach Okinawa’s Yonaguni Island at 9:10 am and waves of 30 centimeters were detected hitting the island’s coast around 9:18 am, NHK reported.

The tsunami was set to reach the islands of Iriomote and Ishigaki around 9:30 am, and Miyakojima and the main island of Okinawa around 10:00 am, according to NHK. The waves were expected to reach Naha Harbor, Kumejima and Nanjo at 10:10 am, and Nakagusuku Bay Port by 10:20 am

There is also a high probability that waves rush to the shore multiple times with the height increasing suddenly. Residents have been warned to have a sense of urgency given that the tsunami during the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake also started with waves that were just a couple of centimeters high.

The earthquake struck at 8:58 am off the eastern coast of Taiwan, with early reports from the Meteorological Agency indicating that it was very shallow. The United States Geological Survey recorded the quake as originating 18 kilometers south southwest of Hualien, Taiwan, at a depth of 34.8 km.

Parts of Okinawa including Ishigaki Island experienced a quake of shindo 2 or 3 that some may not have detected. Residents there have also been urged to evacuate.

The Prime Minister’s Office has set up a government liaison office over the earthquake and tsunami.