A tsunami warning has been issued for parts of northern Japan following a powerful offshore earthquake, with authorities cautioning that waves of up to three meters could strike coastal areas.
The warning covers Iwate Prefecture, Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido after the quake struck off the coast of Iwate on Monday evening.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake measured magnitude 7.4 and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres at approximately 4:53 p.m.
Broadcaster NHK issued urgent warnings, urging residents to move to higher ground and avoid rivers and coastlines, while reminding viewers of the lessons from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Emergency messages in English also instructed people to evacuate immediately and not return to affected areas.
Strong tremors were felt as far as Tokyo, where buildings reportedly swayed for several minutes. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and urge the public to remain alert.
