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Powerful 7.6 Quake Off Northern Japan Triggers Tsunami Alerts and Mass Evacuations

Initial waves under one meter reached several northern ports as authorities kept warnings in place.

Overview

  • Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned of possible waves up to three meters for Aomori, Iwate and southern Hokkaido, with lower-level advisories for Miyagi and Fukushima.
  • Measured tsunami heights included about 40 cm at Mutsu‑Ogawara and Urakawa and up to 70 cm at Kuji, with officials urging residents to stay away from the coast.
  • Local governments ordered preventive evacuations for tens of thousands of people, with tallies ranging from more than 13,000 to about 23,000 directed to higher ground and shelters.
  • NHK and officials reported several injuries, roughly 2,700 power outages in Aomori, minor fires, and a safety suspension of the Tohoku Shinkansen while tracks and facilities were inspected.
  • Plant operators reported no anomalies at the Fukushima, Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear facilities during safety checks, and the government activated an emergency response team as aftershocks and monitoring continued; separately, a magnitude 7.0 quake in the remote AlaskaYukon region over the weekend prompted monitoring but no tsunami alert.