A powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a significant tsunami warning. The seismic event, which occurred at 23:15 local time, had its epicenter off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, a region on Japan’s main island of Honshu. The quake’s depth was recorded at 50 kilometers.
The JMA warned of potential tsunami waves as high as three meters (10 feet) and urged residents in affected coastal areas to immediately move to higher ground and avoid coastal regions until the alert is officially lifted. “Tsunamis will strike repeatedly. Do not leave a safe location until the warning is lifted,” the agency stated on social media platform X.
Early reports indicated smaller tsunami waves, around 40 centimeters, were observed in parts of Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, with up to 50 centimeters recorded in Iwate. However, the JMA cautioned that larger waves could still be imminent along the northeastern coastline.
This significant seismic event followed earlier tremors, including a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent 6.0 magnitude quake, both registered near Japan’s northeastern shores, an area frequently experiencing seismic activity. The nation is now on high alert as it assesses the full impact of this powerful tremor.