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Magnitude 7.6 earthquake off northern Japan injures dozens

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Credit: ANN

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan, injuring at least 30 people and generating small tsunamis along parts of the shoreline, according to Japanese officials. Authorities said evacuation readiness remains in effect due to the risk of additional strong earthquakes.

The earthquake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time on Monday at a depth of about 44 kilometers (27 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was located off Hokkaido, off the northern coast of Japan.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that the government has received reports of 30 injured people and one house fire following the earthquake, according to NHK.

Takaichi said an “Earthquake Warning” was issued because the likelihood of a major event along the Kuril Trench or Japan Trench is elevated.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings and advisories shortly after the earthquake but lifted all notices at 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday. Tsunamis were observed in coastal areas from Hokkaido to the Tohoku region.

Officials said waves reached 70 centimeters (just over 2 feet) at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture and 50 centimeters (about 1.5 feet) in Urakawa Town on Hokkaido. No significant damage from the tsunami waves has been reported.

The earthquake caused damage across a wide area in northern Japan. At New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, cracks were found in the ceiling of the domestic terminal’s fourth floor and debris was scattered on the floor, according to local officials.

Footage showed furniture and fixtures swaying violently in offices and apartment buildings. A witness in Niseko told the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) that shaking began slowly before intensifying and continued with mild tremors for about another minute. Light shaking was also reported in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active countries due to its location along multiple tectonic plate boundaries. In 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off Tohoku generated a massive tsunami that killed more than 18,000 people.

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