A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture on Sunday evening, prompting tsunami warnings and temporary evacuations before the advisory was lifted later that night, reports Japan Times.
The quake, which occurred at 5:03 p.m., initially measured magnitude 6.7 but was later revised to 6.9 by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The tremor registered shindo 4 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in the city of Morioka and several nearby towns in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures.
Following the quake, a tsunami advisory was issued for Iwate, warning of possible waves up to one meter. Tsunami waves of about 20 centimeters were recorded at Ofunato Port at 6:25 p.m. and at Kuji Port at 5:52 p.m. The advisory was lifted around 8 p.m.
As of 8:30 p.m., the region had experienced at least 11 aftershocks, including one measuring magnitude 6.3 and shindo 3. No injuries or major damage were reported.
East Japan Railway Co. said the Tohoku Shinkansen briefly lost power, halting operations between Sendai and Shin-Aomori stations before service resumed. Tohoku Electric Power reported no irregularities at its Onagawa nuclear power plant in neighboring Miyagi Prefecture.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents via her X (formerly Twitter) account to stay away from coastal areas and remain vigilant for potential aftershocks.
A JMA official said at a late-evening news conference that further tremors of similar or stronger magnitude could occur in the coming days.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
