BBC report tsunami fears threaten Liverpool pre-season match in Japan
Liverpool’s final pre-season fixture on their Asia tour is currently at risk, with a tsunami alert raising safety concerns just hours before kick-off.
Our clash with Yokohama F. Marinos, scheduled for 11.30am BST today at Nissan Stadium, comes amidst growing fears in Japan following a tsunami alert near Fukushima.
As reported by BBC.com, authorities have initiated evacuation protocols and warned residents within 30 kilometres of the Fukushima nuclear plant to either evacuate or shelter in place.
Tsunami warning issues in Japan ahead of Liverpool game
The region remains on high alert following memories of the 2011 disaster that caused a catastrophic nuclear meltdown.
“A tsunami alert in the Fukushima area always triggers a heightened sense of concern,” the BBC reported.
“There’s still nuclear debris that’s being constantly cooled by tons of water that then gets stored in huge tanks next to the plant.”
Tepco, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, confirmed that all workers at the nuclear site were evacuated earlier today. Fortunately, no abnormalities have been reported so far.
The disruption has already affected transport routes across the region, with coastal train services partially suspended and heavy traffic jams forming as residents flee the danger zone.
Liverpool’s match scheduled to go ahead in Japan
Whether these disruptions will impact Liverpool’s game remains unclear, though the atmosphere surrounding the event has certainly changed even in a city that is over 300km away from Fukushima.
Seeing the warm welcome the Reds received in Japan, it’s hard to hear that the nation is currently going through this traumatic event.
Arne Slot will see the match in Japan as a chance to feature a rotated lineup including some of our younger squad members.
Any official update from the club or local authorities is yet to be confirmed, though the situation continues to develop.
We’ve seen the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park cancelled for bad weather in Liverpool but never had anything this traumatic to deal with at home.
It seems very likely the match will go ahead and that it will mark the conclusion of a successful Asian tour before we head back to Merseyside to prepare for the Community Shield.
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