A powerful earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck Japan’s northern Hokkaido region late Monday night, prompting authorities to issue an immediate tsunami warning for coastal areas.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the quake jolted the region at around 11:15 pm local time, followed shortly by a 40-centimetre-high tsunami wave along parts of Japan’s coastline. The agency warned that tsunami waves as high as three metres (10 feet) could hit Pacific-facing coastal areas.
No immediate reports of casualties or major damage were available, but officials cautioned that strong and potentially dangerous waves may continue to strike various coastal regions.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the epicentre of the quake was located 73 kilometres east-northeast of Misawa city in northern Japan, at a depth of 53.1 kilometres beneath the earth’s surface.
In response, Japan issued high-level tsunami alerts for the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures.
State broadcaster NHK reported that tsunami waves could begin hitting port areas from Aomori down to Iwate as early as 11:40 pm local time.
Sources: AFP, NHK
