Magnitude 7.6 earthquake triggers tsunami off Japan’s northern coast
A powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake has struck off northern Japan triggering a tsunami of up to 40 centimetres in coastal communities in the region, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.
The agency said the quake struck just east of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island, and just south of Hokkaido island. It said a tsunami of 40 centimetres struck the Hokkaido prefecture town of Urakawa and the Aomori prefecture port of Mutsu Ogawara.
Several people were injured at a hotel in the Aomori town of Hachinohe, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, speaking briefly to reporters, said the government had set up an emergency taskforce to urgently assess the extent of damage.
“We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said.
Nuclear power plants in the region are conducting safety checks, NHK reported.
Published: by Radio NewsHub
