Powerful Japan Quake Injures Six, Triggers Minor Tsunami

AFP

Tokyo: At least six people were injured after a powerful quake struck northern Japan, though authorities reported no major damage from the tremor that also triggered small tsunami waves.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the 7.7-magnitude quake hit Pacific waters off Iwate prefecture on Monday. The tremor was strong enough to shake buildings in Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre.

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, six people were injured as of Tuesday morning, including two seriously. No fires or damage to key infrastructure were reported.

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A tsunami warning for waves of up to three metres was initially issued but later lifted after smaller waves, including one measuring 80 centimetres, reached coastal areas such as Kuji port in Iwate.

The JMA cautioned that the likelihood of a stronger earthquake, potentially magnitude 8.0 or higher, is currently higher than usual.

Local authorities issued non-mandatory evacuation advisories to more than 182,000 residents in affected areas as a precaution.

Japan, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, experiencing around 1,500 tremors annually.

The country still remembers the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which killed or left missing around 18,500 people and triggered a nuclear disaster at Fukushima.