Warning of giant quake after strong earthquake

TT

Updated 14.15 | Published 10.06

 

         

         

        A strong earthquake has hit Japan.

        1 / 2Photo: Anders Humlebo/TT

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake has hit Japan – warning of a new potential giant quake.

Tsunami waves of almost one meter have reached land in northeastern Japan, the country's meteorological agency said.

Monday's quake occurred just before 5 p.m. local time, 10 Swedish time, at a depth of ten kilometers in the ocean about one kilometer off Miyako in Iwate prefecture. Buildings are also said to have shaken in Tokyo about 600 kilometers away, reports public service broadcaster NHK.

An official from the meteorological agency JMA warns in a televised press conference that more earthquakes, possibly even stronger, could hit the area in the next two to three days.

“The probability of another large earthquake occurring is relatively higher than normal,” the JMA said in a statement.

Shortly after the quake, tsunami warnings were issued for Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, warning of waves of up to three meters.

“Immediately evacuate coastal and riverine areas to safer places,” the JMA said.

Those warnings have now been lifted, but are still in effect for Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. According to the agency, tsunami waves have reached land in several places along the northeastern coast of Honshu and the coast of Hokkaido – although the waves were significantly smaller than feared.

Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active countries.