A massive earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 has hit Ishikawa in central Japan, triggering a tsunami warning and advisories for residents to evacuate and prepare for possible aftershocks.
A tsunami around 1 metre high (3.3 feet) struck parts of the west coast along the Sea of Japan, with a larger wave expected, public broadcaster NHK reported Monday.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued tsunami warnings for the coastal prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama.
“All residents must evacuate immediately to higher ground,” NHK said after the quake hit the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10pm local time (07:10 GMT). It said another earthquake warning had been issued for Ishikawa.
Hazardous tsunami waves of up to 5 metres high (16.4 feet) were possible along the north coast of central Japan within 300km (186 miles) of a magnitude 7.5 quake’s epicentre, US and Japanese agencies said.
More than 36,000 households lost power in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, utilities provider Hokuriku Electric Power said.
South Korea’s meteorological agency said the sea level in some parts of the Gangwon province on the east coast may rise.