A powerful quake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck northeastern and northern Japan on Monday, prompting the country’s weather agency to issue a tsunami warning and a special advisory regarding the increased risk of another strong quake in the next week.
Tsunami warnings were issued for the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures, with the Japan Meteorological Agency forecasting tsunami waves of up to three metres. Later in the day, the warnings were downgraded to advisories. An 80-centimetre tsunami was observed at Kuji port in Iwate Prefecture, the agency said.
The agency has issued a special weeklong alert covering 182 municipalities in seven prefectures from Hokkaido to Chiba due to the increased risk of another strong quake. It marks only the second time the alert has been issued since the system began operating in December 2022. The first time it was issued was in December last year, following a M7.5 quake off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture.
The alert system, called an “Off the Coast of Hokkaido and Sanriku Subsequent Earthquake Advisory,” is based on lessons learned from the M9.0 megaquake that devastated northeastern Japan on 11 March, 2011, followed by an M7.3 temblor.
Such alerts are issued following an earthquake in the area with a confirmed magnitude of 7.0 or greater, and when the agency assesses there is an increased chance that an M8 quake or greater could occur within seven days.
Kyodo
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