Magnitude 7.6 quake strikes Japan, tsunami alert issued

A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan on Monday, prompting the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a tsunami alert for parts of the country’s east coast.

According to JMA, the quake hit off Hokkaido, near the coastal city of Aomori, with the epicenter located about 50 kilometers below the sea surface.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) also sayid a magnitude 7.6 quake struck at 11:15pm local time, approximately 70 kilometers off the coast at a depth of around 33 miles.

JMA warned that tsunami waves could reach up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) in coastal areas including Iwate, Aomori, and parts of Hokkaido.

The agency also recorded two aftershocks in the region – one of magnitude 5.6, followed by another of magnitude 3.6.

Authorities urged residents in affected coastal zones to move to higher ground as a precaution. Further assessments of damage and impact are ongoing.