A strong 7.6 magnitude earthquake has hit Japan’s northeastern coast, triggering a tsunami warning with potential waves up to three meters (10 feet), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced Monday. The powerful tremor occurred at 23:15 local time, with its origin point situated off the coast of Aomori Prefecture on Honshu island, at a depth of 50 kilometers.
The JMA issued an urgent advisory, directing residents in coastal areas to seek safety on higher ground and to refrain from returning to coastal zones until the alert is officially rescinded. “Tsunamis will strike repeatedly. Do not leave a safe location until the warning is lifted,” the agency stated via its official X account.
Early observations noted tsunami waves reaching approximately 40 centimeters in parts of Aomori and Hokkaido, and up to 50 centimeters in Iwate. The JMA continues to warn that the risk of larger tsunami waves impacting the northeastern coastline remains.
The region experienced prior seismic activity, including a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent 6.0 magnitude aftershock, both at a depth of 60 km. These events highlight the seismic nature of the area, which is now under close observation following the significant 7.6 magnitude quake.