A powerful earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan on Monday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami alert and urge residents in affected areas to seek higher ground.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake, initially measured at magnitude 7.4 and later revised to 7.5, occurred off the coast of Sanriku at around 4:53 p.m. local time at a depth of about 10 kilometers below the sea surface.
Public broadcaster NHK reported that tsunami waves of up to 3 meters could reach parts of the coastline shortly after the tremor.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had established an emergency task force following the quake.
Officials called on residents in coastal regions, including Iwate, Aomori, and Hokkaido prefectures, to evacuate inland or move to higher ground.
Television broadcasts showed ships departing from Hachinohe port in anticipation of incoming waves, while alerts reading “Tsunami! Evacuate!” were displayed prominently.
Bullet train services in Aomori, located at the northern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu, were suspended due to the impact of the tremors.
Authorities continued to monitor the situation as warnings remained in effect along affected coastlines.
The earthquake comes 15 years after a devastating magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami struck northern Japan in March 2011.
That disaster killed more than 22,000 people and forced nearly half a million residents to flee their homes, with widespread destruction caused primarily by the resulting tsunami.
The 2011 event also triggered a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, leading to long-term evacuations.
About 160,000 people were displaced due to radiation concerns, and approximately 26,000 have yet to return.
Initial reports indicated that nuclear facilities in the current warning zones were unaffected by Monday’s earthquake.
Authorities continue to assess the evolving situation as coastal communities remain on alert.