Major 7.5-magnitude quake hits off Japan, triggers tsunami warnings

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday (April 20), prompting authorities to urge residents to stay away from coastal areas where tsunami waves of up to 3 meters (9.84 ft) were expected. Sirens blared and tsunami warning announcements were heard on loudspeakers in the coastal town of Ofunato in Iwate prefecture, one of the areas where the biggest waves were forecast. The largest waves were forecast to hit Iwate and Aomori prefectures at the top of Japan's main Honshu island and the northern island of Hokkaido, authorities said. In the hour following the earthquake, which struck at 4:52 p.m. (0752 GMT), tsunami waves as high as 80 cm had been detected, while warnings remained for waves as high as 3 meters.