The moment when 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Japan (WATCH)

A powerful earthquake of 7.5 magnitude hit central Japan on Monday, prompting a tsunami warning from a broad swath of the country's northwestern coast. The tsunami warning urged people to quickly leave coastal areas, with waves of up to 5 meters predicted.

A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Japan today, unleashing a series of subsequent tremors that have triggered tsunami warnings along the coast. Authorities are preparing for the possibility of a dangerous tsunami wave onslaught, which prompted the immediate evacuation orders following the earthquake that rocked the Noto area in Ishikawa prefecture at about 4:10 pm local time.

For Ishikawa, the Japanese agency issued a major tsunami warning, while for the remainder of Honshu's western coast, it issued advisories or warnings at a lesser level. The Japanese media advised residents to evacuate to high land as soon as possible, warning that water torrents might reach heights of up to five metres.

According to NHK TV, warnings were still being broadcast even an hour after the first notice, and the tsunami waves may keep coming back.  There were no early reports of damage. Japan is an extremely quake-prone nation. In March 2011, a major quake and tsunami caused meltdowns at a nuclear plant.