TOKYO, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Japanese authorities lifted tsunami warnings on Tuesday hours after a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern regions, injuring at least 30 people and forcing about 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes.

The earthquake struck off the coast at 11:15 p.m. (1415 GMT) on Monday, and the Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami as high as 3 metres (10 feet) could hit the country's northeastern coast. Warnings wereissued for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate, and tsunamis from 20 to 70 cm (7 to 27 inches) high were observed at several ports, JMA said.

The epicentre of the quake was 80 km (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 54 km.

On Japan's 1-7 scale of seismic intensity, the tremor registered as an "upper 6" in Hachinohe city, Aomori prefecture - a quake strong enough to make it impossible to keep standing or move without crawling.

"As of now, I have received reports of 30 people being injured and one fire," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters.

East Japan Railway suspended some services in the area, which was also hit by a massive 9.0-magnitude quake in March 2011. Other train services are facing delays in northern Japan, the operator said.

Following the tremor, the JMA issued an advisory for a wide region from the northernmost island of Hokkaido down to Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, calling on residents to be on alert for the possibility of a powerful earthquake hitting again within a week.

"There is a possibility that further powerful and stronger earthquakes could occur over the next several days," a JMA official said at a briefing.

No irregularities were reported at nuclear power plants in the region run by Tohoku Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power, the utilities said. Thousands of households had lost power immediately following the quake, but service resumed by Tuesday morning.

YEN WEAKENS BRIEFLY

The yen weakened against major currencies after news of the tremor, with the dollar and euro both touching session highs.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes.Located in the "Ring of Fire" of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater.

The northeastern region suffered one of the country's deadliest earthquakes on March 11, 2011, when a 9.0-magnitude tremor struck under the ocean off the coast of the northern city of Sendai. It was the most powerful ever recorded in Japan and set off a series of massive tsunami that devastated a wide swathe of the Pacific coastline and killed nearly 20,000 people.

Drawing on lessons from that disaster, when a magnitude 7-level earthquake had struck two days beforehand, the government now issues a one-week "megaquake" advisory whenever a significant earthquake occurs in the region.

The 2011 tsunami also damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, leading to a series of explosions and meltdowns in the world's worst nuclear disaster for 25 years.

(Reporting by Mariko Katsumura, Chang-Ran Kim, Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Stephen Coates)

KUCHING (Dec 8): Floods have been forecast to occur in Kuching and Miri divisions until 11pm on Tuesday (Dec 9), said Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

The warning was issued following the alert-level continuous rain warning by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) across multiple districts in the state.

“Floods have been forecast for low-lying areas within a five-kilometre vicinity around Sungai Sarawak, which includes Sarawak General Hospital, Jalan McDougall, Jalan Matang, Kampung Sungai Bedaun, Jalan Kwong Lee Bank, Jalan Mendu, Jalan Tong Wei Tah, Jalan Ong Tiang Swee, Jalan Liu Shan Bang, Jalan Penrissen, Kampung Sinar Budi Baru, Taman Desa Wira, Jalan Ketitir, Jalan Burung Lilin, Jalan Sg Tengah, Jalan Tong Wei Tah, Jalan Tabuan, Padang Merdeka, Kampung Buso and Kampung Segong,” DID’s National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) said in a notice.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) also received reports of flash floods in Padang Merdeka here following continuous rain on Sunday. However, as at 8am on Monday, the water had receded.

DID also said floods are expected within a five-kilometre radius around Sungai Batang Kayan, including Kampung Stunggang Melayu Baru, Kampung Stunggang Melayu Lama, Kampung Semunin, Kampung Dagang, Lundu town, Kampung  Seling Melayu, Kampung Sileng Dayak, Kampung Sungai Lundu and Kampung Seketi.

In Miri Division, the floods are forecast within a five-kilometre radius around Sungai Miri, including in Kampung Unan, Jalan Miri, Jalan Brooke, Jalan Merpati, Jalan Tanjung Lobang, Jalan Daro, Jalan Sungai Temam, Jalan Sungai Laong, Bintang Jaya, Taman Lopeng Baru, Taman Lopeng Jaya, Taman Tunku, Taman Amfield 2, Sungai Dalam A, Dozo Miri, Wireless Walk Miri, SJKC Tukau, SMK (A) Miri, and areas near the Miri fire station.

SIBU (Dec 8): The Kanowit fire station reported rising water levels in several areas under its jurisdiction during a flood monitoring operation carried out on Monday.

Sibu Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Zone 4 chief Andy Alie said that at SK Nanga Menalun, Sungai Poi, Kanowit, the team reported rising water levels, with rainy weather throughout the patrol.

“Throughout the patrol, the school area remained under control, and only the riverside area was inundated.

“As of the time of monitoring between 11am and 1pm, the water trend was rising and no emergency calls were received by Bomba. The situation remained under control,” he stated.

Andy said the team observed similar conditions at Rumah Lanting Niggong, Nanga Sekerah, Sungai Poi, with rising water levels and continued rain.

“During the patrol, only the area surrounding the longhouse and the access road were inundated, with water levels between one and three feet.

“As of the time of monitoring, the water trend continued to rise and no emergency incidents were reported to Bomba. The situation remained under control,” he said.

BETONG, 8 Dis: Aset dan kemudahan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) di Sarawak perlu ditambah memandangkan wilayah ini sangat luas.

Pesuruhjaya Polis Sarawak, Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah berkata, penambahan aset merupakan keperluan mendesak bagi memperkukuhkan operasi di 28 daerah polis di Sarawak khususnya melibatkan kenderaan peronda, peralatan operasi serta penyelenggaraan balai dan bangunan lama yang masih beroperasi.

Menurutnya, walaupun Kerajaan Persekutuan dan Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak sentiasa memberikan sokongan, kontinjen itu masih memerlukan lebih banyak kemudahan untuk memastikan tugas kepolisan di lapangan dapat dijalankan dengan lebih cekap dan berkesan.

“Keluasan geografi yang besar dan cabaran bentuk muka bumi di pedalaman menuntut PDRM Sarawak perlu memiliki aset mencukupi bagi memastikan kesiapsiagaan dan kehadiran polis dapat dipertingkat di kawasan kritikal,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas Majlis Pemakaian Pangkat serta Majlis Serah Terima Tugas Jawatan Ketua Polis Daerah Betong dan Pengerusi PERKEP IPD Betong di Dewan Serbaguna IPD Betong, di sini hari ini.

Zainal berkata, sejak dilantik sebagai Pesuruhjaya Polis Sarawak, pihaknya giat menjalankan tinjauan ke setiap daerah bagi menyelaras semula keutamaan permohonan termasuk aset baharu, peralatan operasi dan fasiliti yang perlu dinaik taraf segera.

Mengulas mengenai perancangan di bawah Rancangan Malaysia ke-13 (RMK13), beliau berkata, beberapa projek pembangunan baharu termasuk IPD dan balai dijangka dimulakan seawal tahun depan, dengan tumpuan diberikan kepada kawasan yang sering dilanda banjir serta balai yang uzur.

Beliau turut merakamkan penghargaan kepada Kerajaan Negeri Sarawak dan Kerajaan Persekutuan yang baru-baru ini menyalurkan peruntukan bagi kerja mengecat, membaik pulih dan menaik taraf bangunan PDRM yang lama di seluruh wilayah ini.

“Penambahan aset dan peningkatan fasiliti ini akan membantu PDRM Sarawak meningkatkan tahap keberkesanan operasi, seterusnya memastikan keselamatan masyarakat dapat dipertahankan dengan lebih baik,” ujarnya.

Pada majlis sama, Zainal turut menyampaikan Sumbangan Kasih PDRM kepada 15 penerima dari sekitar Daerah Betong sebagai sebahagian usaha kebajikan berterusan PDRM kepada masyarakat setempat.-TVS