TOKYO, Japan: A powerful 7.6 earthquake hit central Japan on Monday, the USGS said, prompting Japanese officials to issue a tsunami warning and urge people in the area to move to higher ground.
“All residents must evacuate immediately to higher ground,” national broadcaster NHK said after the quake hit the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10 pm (0710 GMT).
Hazardous tsunami waves of up to five metres were possible along the north coast of central Japan on Monday within 300 kilometres of a magnitude 7.6 quake’s epicentre, US and Japanese agencies said.
“Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 km of the epicenter along the coasts of Japan,” the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, while the Japan Meteorological Agency warned the waves could be up to five metres high. —AFP
