Tokyo: A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday evening. The epicenter of the quake was 80 km off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, at a depth of 50 km. The authorities in Japan issued tsunami warning following the quake in the country.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake struck off the coast of Aomori and Hokkaido. Due to this, a tsunami up to three metres (10 feet) high is likely to hit the northeastern coast. No casualties have been reported so far.

Why do earthquakes occur in Japan?

Issuing a warning, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said that dangerous tsunami waves generated by the earthquake is likely to affect the coasts of Japan as well as Russia. Any area within 1,000 km of the epicentre is at risk of devastating waves.

Japan is one of the countries that is most frequently affected by earthquakes. It lies on the Pacific Ocean's Ring of Fire. This is an area where the Earth's tectonic plates collide, causing frequent earthquakes.

Same region was hit in March 2011

Notably, this same region was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The devastation led to the killing of thousands in the country. While no major damage has been reported so far, officials are closely monitoring the situation. They also urged the people to remain vigilant. The local administration has further requested the people to move to higher areas and stay away from the coast.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who was recently elected to the office, while reaction to the earthquake, said that her government would work with local officials closely to assess the damage.