A 7.6 magnitude earthquake about seven miles off northeastern Japan late Monday evening, local time, prompted authorities to issue a tsunami warning.
But the feared three-meter waves fortunately did not occur, and the coastal areas of the island of Hokkaido and the northern part of the main island of Honshu were “only” reached by half-meter high waves. The warning was therefore lifted three hours later, reports the AFP news agency.
Residents in the affected areas are nevertheless urged to be careful and stay away from places near water.
The quake itself caused minor damage, including several people at a hotel in the city of Hachinohe on northern Honshu who were injured when windows broke. Tremors were also felt in Sapporo on Hokkaido, and power went out for a while in a number of smaller towns. Nuclear power plants throughout the warning area have been checked for possible damage, but none have been reported.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a magnitude of 7.6 and was centered about seven miles off the coast of northeastern Japan and fifty miles below sea level. The Japanese equivalent, the JMA, put the magnitude at 7.2.
