WEB DESK: A tsunami up to three meters (10 feet) in height could impact Japan’s northeastern coastline following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck offshore on Monday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The agency issued a tsunami warning for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate after the quake shook much of northern and eastern Japan at 11:15 p.m. (1415 GMT).
The earthquake’s epicenter was located 80 kilometers (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori prefecture at a depth of 50 kilometers (30 miles), the JMA stated
Japan, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, experiences tremors at least every five minutes. Authorities suspended some train services, including those operated by East Japan Railway, in affected areas.
The region had also been struck by a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake in March 2011. Located in the “Ring of Fire”, a volcanic and seismic belt encircling the Pacific, Japan experiences about 20 per cent of the world’s magnitude 6.0 or higher earthquakes.
