At least 30 people were injured after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit north-eastern Japan on Monday night, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
The quake occurred at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50km (31mi), about 80km off the coast of the Aomori region, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. It prompted tsunami warnings which have now been lifted, while waves of 70cm (27in) were observed.
Some train services have been suspended and thousands of homes have been left without power due to the earthquake.
Authorities have also warned that a stronger tremor could occur in the coming days, urging the public to remain on high alert for at least a week, according to local media reports.
In addressing impacted citizens, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said: Reconfirm your daily earthquake preparedness, such as ensuring that you secure furniture, and prepare to evacuate immediately if you feel shaking. Orders were issued for about 90,000 residents to evacuate, according to Reuters news agency.
The Aomori prefectural government reported that approximately 2,700 homes have lost power. The local train service has also suspended operations along the northeastern coast.
The Japanese government established a response office within the Prime Minister's crisis management centre and convened an emergency team. Chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara stated, We are making every effort to assess the damage and implement emergency disaster response measures, including rescue and relief operations.
Fortunately, Tohoku Electric Power reported no irregularities at its nuclear plants following the tremors, without issues also reported at the disabled Fukushima nuclear power station site.
Japan, known for its seismic activity, experiences about 1,500 earthquakes annually due to its position on the Ring of Fire. Earlier this year, experts warned of a 60-90% chance of a megaquake within the next 30 years, which could lead to devastating consequences.
