[Watch] 7.6-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, Tsunami Warning Issued

New Delhi: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit north-central Japan on Monday, media reports claimed. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning along the coastal regions of Ishikawa, Niigata and Toyama prefectures after a series of strong quakes shook western areas, the reports claimed.

Hokuriku Electric Power said it is checking for any irregularities at its nuclear power plants, Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV reported. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported a quake hitting Ishikawa and nearby prefectures, one of them measuring a preliminary magnitude of 7.4.

NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 5 metres (16.5 feet) and urged people to flee to high land or a top of a nearby building as quickly as possible, Reuters reported.

Waves more than 1 metre high hit the coast of Wajima City in Ishikawa Prefecture, NHK reported.

“All residents must evacuate immediately to higher ground,” national broadcaster NHK said after the quake hit the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10 pm (0710 GMT).

Meanwhile, South Korea’s meteorological agency said sea levels may rise on parts of the east coast after the 7.6 magnitude quake in Japan

A spokesperson for Kansai Electric Power said there were currently no abnormalities at its nuclear power plants but the company was monitoring the situation closely.

All high-speed trains stopped in Ishikawa Prefecture after powerful quakes hit western Japan, the local media reported.