- Japan weather agency reports quake hitting Ishikawa and nearby prefectures
- TV network warns people to flee to high land or the top of a nearby building
A devastating earthquake hit central Japan today with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6, triggering a tsunami warning as residents were urged to evacuate.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported huge quakes off the coast of Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas shortly after 4pm local time (7am UK time).
A major tsunami warning was issued for Ishikawa as well as lower-level tsunami alerts or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 16.5ft (5m) and urged people to flee to high land or to the top of nearby buildings.
The tsunami waves could keep returning, according to the network, as warnings continued to be aired nearly an hour after the initial alert. A tsunami around 3ft (1m) high struck parts of the coast along the Sea of Japan with a larger wave expected.
A grab from a video of tsunami waves observed along the coast of western Japan today
An online video purportedly shows a house collapsing in Ishikawa during today’s earthquake
Strong waves hit the coast of Wajima City in Ishikawa, NHK reported. Hokuriku Electric Power was checking for any irregularities at its nuclear power plants.
The Japanese government will hold a news conference later in the day, with reports of any damage not immediately available.
A tsunami of about 10ft (3m) was expected to hit Niigata and other prefectures on the western coast of Japan.
Smaller tsunami waves were already confirmed to have reached the coastline, according to NHK.
A tsunami warning is shown on TV in Yokohama today after earthquakes in the Sea of Japan
A map from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows the location of the earthquake hitting the Noto region of Ishikawa prefecture in Japan today
The area includes a nuclear plant. Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator, said it was checking for problems but there were no immediate reports of any irregularities.
A spokesperson for Kansai Electric Power said there were no abnormalities at its nuclear power plants but the company was monitoring the situation closely.
In Seoul, South Korea ‘s meteorological agency said the sea level in some parts of the Gangwon province on the east coast may rise after the earthquake.
A huge earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, devastating towns and triggering nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.