A magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit northeastern Japan and thousands of people have reportedly been ordered to evacuate their homes.
The earthquake occurred at 11:15 p.m. (1415 GMT) at a depth of 50 kilometers (31 miles), about 80 kilometers off the coast of the Aomori region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
It triggered tsunami alerts that have now been downgraded to warnings, while waves of 70 cm (27 inches) were observed.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said at least seven people had been injured and warned residents to remain alert for new tremors for another week.
Addressing citizens affected by the earthquake, he said: “Reconfirm your daily earthquake preparedness, such as making sure to secure furniture, and prepare to evacuate immediately if you feel tremors.”
Evacuation orders were issued for about 90,000 residents, according to the Reuters news agency.
The government has created a response office within the prime minister’s crisis management center and convened an emergency team, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said.
“We are making every effort to assess the damage and implement emergency disaster response measures, including rescue and relief operations,” he added.
Some bullet train services have been suspended along the northeast coast.
No irregularities were reported at the Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear plants as a result of the earthquake, Tohoku Electric Power said.
Nor was anything detected at the disabled Fukushima nuclear power plant, according to what Japanese authorities reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
AFP via Getty ImagesFukushima was damaged when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off the country’s eastern coast on March 11, 2011.
That earthquake, the most powerful ever recorded in Japan, triggered a tsunami that devastated the main island of Honshu, killing more than 18,000 people and wiping entire cities off the map.
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes.
