'10-Foot Tsunami Alert': 7.6 Earthquake Sparks Emergency Off Japan's Northern Coast

A powerful earthquake has struck off Japan’s coast, triggering a tsunami warning, according to local media reports. USGS reported that magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit Japan.

A strong earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck off Japan’s northern coast on Sunday, prompting authorities to issue an immediate tsunami alert, according to local media reports and data from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Emergency officials urged coastal residents to move to higher ground as monitoring agencies assessed potential wave heights and possible damage. Further details are awaited from Japan’s meteorological authorities, reported AFP.

Quake triggers 10-foot tsunami warning

Japan's Meteorological Agency's initial report put the magnitude of the quake on Monday at 7.2, according to Al Jazeera. The agency said that the quake hit off the Aomori and Hokkaido coast. The met agency adding that a tsunami as high as 3 metres (10 feet) could hit northeastern coast of Japan.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate after the strong earthquake. Before midnight, a tsunami of 40cm (16 inches) was recorded at Mutsu Ogawara in Aomori and Urakawa port in Hokkaido, the agency confirmed, as per Al Jazeera.

Injuries and early damage reports

Public broadcaster NHK reported that several people were injured at a hotel in Hachinohe, a coastal town in Aomori. Officials have not yet shared details of the injuries or the extent of damage in the region.

According to Japan’s Meteorological Agency, the epicentre of the quake was located 80km (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori prefecture at a depth of 50km (30 miles). Monitoring agencies continue to track aftershocks and the risk of further waves.

International tsunami alerts

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that hazardous tsunami waves could be possible within 1,000km (620 miles) of the epicentre, especially along the coasts of Japan and Russia.

East Japan Railway suspended some train services in the region as a precaution. NHK also reported that nuclear power plants in the affected areas carried out urgent safety checks. There were no immediate signs of problems at the plants.

Government response

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had formed an emergency task force to quickly assess the situation. “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she told reporters.

Japan lies in the seismically active Ring of Fire, making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. It experiences around 20% of all earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or higher. The country was previously struck by a devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.