Overview
- The magnitude 7.4–7.7 quake, which struck Monday at 4:53 p.m. local time off Iwate’s Sanriku coast at roughly 10 kilometers depth, triggered wide tsunami alerts and evacuations.
- Early readings showed waves of about 80 centimeters at Kuji and 40 centimeters at another Iwate port, and the Japan Meteorological Agency later reduced many alerts to advisories or lifted them.
- Authorities issued non-mandatory evacuation notices for roughly 170,000 to 182,000 people and suspended some bullet train and local rail services, while media reported at least one injury and no major damage.
- Nuclear operators reported no abnormal radiation, and TEPCO said it saw no impact as it evacuated Fukushima Daiichi and Daini staff as a precaution.
- Following Monday’s quake, the government issued a one week advisory through April 27 that raises the estimated chance of a magnitude‑8 or larger event to about 1% and urges people to stay prepared.