Tsunami warnings issued after a powerful offshore earthquake struck Japan’s north-east coast have been lifted, but coastal advisories remain in effect and authorities are urging people to stay away from the sea.
Tsunami alerts lifted, but risk has not fully passed
Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially warned that waves up to three metres could hit parts of the north-eastern coastline after the late-night quake, prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands of residents.
As measured data began to come in, the JMA reported waves of around 20–70cm at several ports and progressively downgraded the threat, first from full tsunami warnings to advisories and now to coastal advisories only.
Officials say the remaining alerts mean people should stay off beaches, harbour walls and river mouths until the all-clear is given.
Where and how strong the Japan earthquake was
The quake struck at about 23:15 local time off the coast of Aomori prefecture (16:15 on Monday, SAST), with JMA estimating a magnitude of 7.5 and a depth of around 48km.
On Japan’s one-to-seven seismic intensity scale it registered an “upper six” in parts of Aomori, strong enough to knock people off their feet and send heavy furniture crashing to the floor.
Another assessment cited by national broadcaster NHK and international agencies placed the magnitude at 7.6 and the focus about 50km below the seabed, underscoring the strength of the tremor felt across a wide area.
Damage reports and evacuations
Japan’s fire and disaster management agency said about 90 000 people were advised to move to evacuation centres as the initial tsunami warnings went out. Several small fires were reported in Aomori, while authorities in northern towns logged building damage, cracked roads and at least a handful of injuries, including a driver whose car plunged into a hole after the roadway caved in.
East Japan Railway temporarily suspended some services in the region while crews checked tracks and overhead lines. Power utilities reported no irregularities at nuclear plants operated by Tohoku Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power, although thousands of households experienced temporary outages.
How authorities are responding
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task team to assess damage and coordinate the response.
“We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she told reporters, urging residents to follow evacuation and safety instructions.
The JMA has warned that strong aftershocks are possible in the coming days.
A seismology expert quoted by NHK said people in badly affected areas should avoid entering damaged buildings and remain ready to move quickly if further shaking occurs.
