Tsunami advisory as powerful quake strikes off Japan

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that a strong earthquake shook northern Japan and was followed by several more tremors, and a tsunami warning was issued.

The earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7, occurred at around 17:00 local time on Sunday, at a depth of 10 km below the sea surface, off the coast of Iwate prefecture.

There were no reports of any injuries or damage or abnormalities at the two nuclear power plants in the area.

The agency issued a tsunami warning of up to one meter along the northern coastal region. The warning remained in place for an hour after the initial earthquake.

Public broadcaster NHK warned people to stay away from coastal areas due to the danger of tsunamis and warned that more tremors could occur in the region.

NHK said a tsunami of about 10 cm was detected in Ofunato city and Ominato port in Iwate Prefecture.

According to the railway operator JR East, high-speed trains in the region were delayed.

Kyodo News said the earthquakes caused power outages.

Located on the Pacific “ring of fire”, Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.

The region suffered a deadly earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.