An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 has struck off the north-eastern coast of Japan, triggering tsunami warnings and widespread evacuation orders, affecting around 170,000 people. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported the quake at 4:53pm local time at a depth of 19 kilometres beneath the floor of the Pacific Ocean. It triggered an 80-centimetre wave at Kuji Port and a 40 centimetre one at Miyako Port, according to Japanese broadcaster, NHK. JMA had also warned of waves as high as three metres in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures. But at around 9pm local time, all tsunami warnings were downgraded to advisories. Japan earthquake updates: For the latest news on earthquake and tsunami warnings, read our blog AFP reported the tremor was felt in Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres away. There were no immediate reports of major damage or abnormalities at nuclear facilities, Japan’s top government spokesperson Minoru Kihara told a news conference as night fell. Three injuries were confirmed, according to NHK. Television news coverage warned of tsunami waves of up to 3 metres.(Reuters: Issei Kato) Several port towns including Otsuchi and Kamaishi – both hard-hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – earlier issued evacuation orders for thousands of residents, according to NHK. Bullet train services were halted and some motorways were closed due to the tremors. Big aftershocks may occur in the following days and weeks, an official from JMA said at a televised press conference. The initial quake measured an “upper 5” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale – strong enough to make it difficult for people to move around and cause concrete-block walls that weren’t reinforced to collapse. Located in the “Ring of Fire” of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. It accounts for about 20 per cent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more, such as the 2011 disaster that caused nuclear meltdowns at a Fukushima power plant. Reuters/AFP
