Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The seismic event occurred off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, rattling a populace that is still recovering from a significant geological disturbance only days prior.
According to the JMA, the quake struck at a depth that was shallow enough to disturb the sea floor. Consequently, officials issued immediate tsunami advisories for portions of Japan's Pacific coast, specifically targeting Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures.
Local authorities have confirmed that tsunami waves of up to 20cm have already reached the shores of the affected prefectures. While waves of this height are generally not considered catastrophic, the JMA warned that even small tsunamis can generate dangerous currents.
Acting on these advisories, emergency services coordinated the evacuation of more than 6,000 residents from several coastal towns in Aomori. Footage from local broadcaster NHK showed residents moving to designated evacuation centres and ships moving away from harbours to deeper waters as a precaution.
Region on high alert
The timing of the quake has caused significant anxiety across the region. It's just days after a massive 7.5-magnitude tremor hit the same area on Wednesday (10 December), which resulted in injuries to at least 50 people and caused scattered power outages.
Seismologists warn that large earthquakes are often followed by significant aftershocks, which can cause further damage to buildings already weakened by the initial stress.
Living on the ‘Ring of Fire’
Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active nations, sitting on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. The country accounts for about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
Because of this, Japan maintains strict construction regulations and holds regular emergency drills. While the infrastructure is built to withstand heavy shaking, the spectre of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami remains a potent memory for the nation.
Utility companies are currently inspecting nuclear power plants in the region for any abnormalities, though no immediate irregularities have been reported.
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