Residents along Japan’s northern coastline described ‘everything wobbling’ after a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake triggered urgent tsunami warnings and forced mass evacuations late Monday.
A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northern coast on Monday, sending shockwaves through coastal communities and prompting authorities to issue immediate tsunami warnings while urging residents to rush to higher ground. The dramatic tremor, felt across wide parts of northern Japan, left people describing ‘everything wobbling’ as buildings shook and emergency alerts blared.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at approximately 1415 GMT at a depth of 53.1 kilometers, just off the coast of Aomori prefecture. Japan’s Meteorological Agency confirmed the magnitude and warned that tsunami waves of up to three meters could strike parts of the country’s Pacific shoreline, raising fears of coastal flooding.
The first tsunami waves were quickly observed, with officials confirming a 40-centimeter surge following the initial quake. Public broadcaster NHK reported that these first waves were expected to reach port areas between Aomori and Iwate prefectures by 11:40 p.m. local time. The Meteorological Agency also stated that the earthquake registered a seismic intensity above 6 on Japan’s domestic scale of 0 to 7, indicating extremely strong and dangerous shaking.
Tsunami warnings were issued for Aomori, Iwate, and Hokkaido prefectures, while tsunami advisories were announced for Miyagi and Fukushima. Authorities instructed residents in low lying coastal regions to evacuate immediately to higher ground as a precaution.
Meanwhile, the Tohoku Shinkansen high speed rail service in northeastern Japan was suspended as safety inspections were carried out following the strong tremor. As of now, there are no immediate reports of major structural damage or confirmed casualties, though authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
