By The Associated Press on January 1, 2024.
TOKYO (AP) – Japan issued tsunami alerts Monday after a series of strong quakes shook western areas. The Japan Meterological Agency reported a quake hitting Ishikawa and nearby prefectures, one of them measuring a preliminary magnitude of 7.4. Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 5 meters (16.5 feet) and urged people to flee to high land or a top of a nearby building as quickly as possible. Reports of damage were not immediately available. 5