japon was shaken Monday by a strong 7. 4-magnitude earthquake that struck off the country’s northern coast and briefly triggered a tsunami alert. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the warning after the quake hit at 16: 53 ET in the Pacific waters off northern Iwate prefecture. The alert was later lifted after a tsunami wave was observed in Kuji port.
Emergency warning issued after offshore quake
The earthquake struck at 16: 53 ET at sea, offshore from the north of Iwate prefecture, and the Japan Meteorological Agency said the shaking was strong enough to rock tall buildings in Tokyo for more than a minute. The agency initially warned that tsunami waves could reach three meters, prompting evacuation guidance along the coast.
japon then recorded a tsunami wave of 80 centimeters at 17: 34 ET in Kuji port, two minutes after an earlier 70-centimeter wave and 41 minutes after the quake. That observation came from the Japan Meteorological Agency, which later lifted the tsunami alert.
What on the ground
The Japan Meteorological Agency was the central authority issuing and updating the warning as the situation developed Monday. Its measurement of the wave in Kuji port marked the first concrete sign of a tsunami reaching the shoreline after the offshore quake.
Residents in the affected northern areas were told to stay away from the coast while the warning remained active. No further damage figures, injuries, or structural impacts were provided in the available context.
japon and the wider seismic context
The quake once again underscored how exposed japon remains to major seismic events. The country sits in a highly active earthquake zone, and Monday’s event quickly moved from alarm to relief as the tsunami alert was withdrawn.
The timing mattered as much as the magnitude: the first warning, the wave observations, and the lifting of the alert all unfolded within a short window on Monday morning ET. For now, the immediate threat appears to have eased, but japon remains watchful after a quake strong enough to be felt far beyond the epicenter.
