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Summary

The meteorological agency reported that the earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean off the northern Iwate Prefecture, and was felt by residents of large buildings as far as Tokyo hundreds of kilometers away. It urged people to 'evacuate coastal areas and riverbanks immediately and head to safer places, such as higher ground or an evacuation center,' warning of damage from tidal waves.

A tsunami wave of 80 centimeters hit northern Japan on Monday after a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.4, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency explained that the wave was recorded at 17:34 local time (08:34 GMT) in the port of Kuji in Iwate Prefecture, two minutes after an initial wave of 70 centimeters, and 41 minutes after the earthquake.

The meteorological agency had reported the earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off the northern Iwate Prefecture, and it was felt by residents of large buildings as far as Tokyo hundreds of kilometers away.

The agency asked residents to 'evacuate coastal areas and river banks immediately and head to safer places, such as higher ground or an evacuation center,' warning of damage from tidal waves.

The government announced the formation of a crisis management team.

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Japan lies on four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the 'Ring of Fire' and is among the world's most seismically active countries.

This archipelago nation, with a population of about 125 million, experiences around 1,500 earthquakes a year. While most are light, the resulting damage varies depending on location and depth.

In 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake triggered a tsunami that left about 18,500 dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

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More about: Japan, earthquake, meteorological agency, tsunami, tidal wave