Massive 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Japan, Tsunami Alert Issued

A massive earthquake of magnitude 7.5 (revised from initial reported magnitude of 7.4) struck Japan, off the northeastern coast, on Monday. A tsunami alert has been issued after the quake, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The earthquake struck at 4.53 pm local time (0753 GMT) in the Pacific Ocean off northern Iwate Prefecture at a depth of 10km deep. The tremors were powerful enough to sway high-rise buildings as far away as Tokyo, several hundred kilometres from the epicentre. The powerful seismic activity further triggered a tsunami measuring about 80 cm (2.6 feet), recorded at Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, while a smaller wave of 40 cm (1.3 feet) was observed at another port in the region, the agency said, as quoted by Reuters. It further warned that waves of up to 3 metres (10 feet) could still strike. Tsunami alerts remain in place for Iwate, Aomori, and parts of southeastern Hokkaido, with a lower-level advisory issued for the coastal areas of Miyagi and Fukushima, south of the epicentre. It had issued a warning for tsunami waves of up to 3 meters (10 feet) height in Iwate prefecture and parts of Hokkaido. Additionally, operations on the Tokyo–Aomori bullet train line were halted following a strong earthquake in Japan, according to Kyodo. The weather agency warned that the earliest tsunami waves could reach the northern coastline almost immediately. "Evacuate immediately from coastal regions and riverside areas to a safer place such as high ground or an evacuation building," it said, cautioning that damage from tsunami waves was likely. "Tsunami waves are expected to hit repeatedly. Do not leave safe ground until the warning is lifted," it added.