Powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes northern Japan triggering tsunami warning

A strong magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan near Iwate prefecture on Monday, prompting authorities to issue tsunami warnings for waves up to three metres.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported the quake occurred at 4:53 p.m. local time (07:53 GMT) at a depth of 10 km beneath the Pacific Ocean.

Tsunami warnings were issued for the coastal prefectures of Iwate, Aomori, and Hokkaido, with waves expected to hit repeatedly.

An 80-centimetre tsunami was recorded at Kuji port in Iwate.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the government had established a crisis management team to coordinate emergency response and assess the situation.

The earthquake was felt across a wide area, including Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres to the south, shaking buildings and causing disruption.

Transportation services were affected, with bullet train operations halted in Aomori and ships seen leaving Hachinohe port in Hokkaido as a precaution.

Authorities urged residents in coastal and riverside areas to evacuate immediately to higher ground or designated evacuation buildings and to remain in safe locations until warnings are lifted.

The tremor registered an "upper 5" on Japan's seismic intensity scale, strong enough to make movement difficult and cause damage such as the collapse of unreinforced concrete-block walls.

Japan is highly earthquake-prone due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where several tectonic plates converge, experiencing about 1,500 earthquakes annually.

This event is particularly significant given the memory of the devastating 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that caused nearly 18,500 deaths and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Live footage from national broadcaster NHK showed no immediate damage at several ports in Iwate but confirmed ongoing evacuation efforts.

Officials continue to monitor the situation closely, with no confirmed reports of casualties or significant property damage at this time.

It remains unclear how long the tsunami warnings will remain in effect and what the full extent of the impact will be as emergency teams conduct further assessments.

#earthquake #tsunamiwarning #JapanMeteorologicalAgency #Iwateprefecture #crisismanagement #evacuation