KATHMANDU: Following a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Japan, small villages along the Pacific coast of Japan are stepping up their preparations. In the nearby Miyazaki Prefecture of Nichinan, officials are inspecting evacuation shelters and repairing damaged infrastructure, like as water pipes.

At least 75 evacuation shelters have opened in ten towns throughout Kochi Prefecture as a result of a proactive response by Friday morning. Because of the possibility of a 34-meter tsunami in the event of a megaquake along the Nankai Trough, the town of Kuroshio has asked elderly residents and others to leave voluntarily.

Wakayama Prefecture officials are confirming evacuation routes in collaboration with local municipalities, while Shizuoka Prefecture has assigned crisis management officials to maintain a 24-hour alert for the coming week. This reflects the high level of concern and the preparedness efforts across different regions.

Additionally, private sector companies are preparing for potential disasters. An emergency alert has been sent out by Jera Co., the operator of a thermal plant, reminding fuel carriers of the procedures for evacuation and communication in the event of a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

A large area extending from Tokyo to southern Japan, including Kyushu and Okinawa, might be affected by a strong earthquake in the Nankai Trough region, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Large-scale tsunamis and catastrophic shockwaves are possible, as the agency has warned.