Earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 10 kilometers.
A strong earthquake measuring 7.5 struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday, prompting authorities to warn people to stay away from coastal areas due to possible tsunami waves reaching up to 3 meters.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 10 kilometers. The largest waves were expected in the prefectures of Iwate, Aomori, and Hokkaido.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that an emergency task force had been set up and urged residents in affected areas to move to safer locations.
Broadcaster NHK showed ships leaving Hachinohe port in Hokkaido as a precaution, while a “Tsunami! Evacuate!” alert was displayed on screens.
Bullet train services in Aomori, located at the northern end of Japan’s main Honshu island, were suspended due to the earthquake, according to Kyodo News.
The quake registered an “upper 5” level on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, which is strong enough to make movement difficult and can cause damage such as the collapse of weak concrete walls.
Japan is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world and lies in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where many earthquakes and volcanic activities occur. The country experiences frequent tremors and accounts for a significant share of strong earthquakes globally.
Although there are no active nuclear power plants in the Hokkaido and Tohoku regions, companies such as Hokkaido Electric Power and Tohoku Electric Power operate several inactive plants there. Tohoku Electric said it is checking the effects of the earthquake and tsunami on its Onagawa nuclear power plant.
