Japan earthquake live: Tsunami advisory issued after new 6.7-magnitude tremor – UK Times

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off Aomori at 11.44am today, prompting a tsunami advisory for coastal areas of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, waves of up to 1 metre are possible in the areas under the advisory.

The quake, which registered shindo 4 (Japanese earthquake intensity scale that runs from 0 to 7) in several prefectures, follows a stronger magnitude 7.5 tremor earlier in the week.

Authorities warn that the likelihood of another large quake remains elevated.

A tsunami advisory is less severe than a full warning and simply instructs people in affected areas to keep clear of the coastline. It does not call for evacuation.

Japan has issued a fresh tsunami advisory after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook the country’s northeast, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The quake occurred off the east coast of Aomori prefecture, in the north of Honshu, the main Japanese island, at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles) at 11.44am local time, JMA said.

The Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures could see a tsunami of up to 1 metre (3.2 feet), the agency added. Damage and injuries weren’t immediately clear.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its first-ever special advisory yesterday, warning of possible megaquake and tsunami along the Hokkaido and Sanriku coasts, following Monday’s magnitude-7.5 earthquake off Aomori Prefecture’s eastern shore.

The advisory is issued whenever a magnitude-7 or higher earthquake occurs in northern Japan, signalling an elevated risk of a major trench-type quake along the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench.

The advisory currently covers 182 municipalities across seven prefectures: 63 in Hokkaido, 28 in Aomori, 23 in Iwate, 35 in Miyagi, 10 in Fukushima, nine in Ibaraki, and 14 in Chiba.

Residents in these areas could experience strong shaking – lower 6 or higher on Japan’s intensity scale – and tsunamis exceeding three metres.

The alert system was established in December 2022, drawing on historical patterns showing that significant earthquakes often follow magnitude-7 events along these trenches.

This is the first time the advisory has been activated since the system was launched.

Japan is increasingly using drones to help warn people during natural disasters, such as tsunamis and floods, especially in situations where human staff may not reach danger zones quickly enough or safely.

The push for drone use began after the 2011 tsunami, when municipal workers died while trying to alert residents.

Drones equipped with loudspeakers, cameras, and GPS can fly over rivers, coasts, and crowded areas to broadcast evacuation messages, officials told Japan’s Mainichi.

Cities like Tokushima, Sendai, Miyako, and Tsubata have begun using or testing the technology.

Sendai already uses drones that automatically launch when a tsunami warning is issued.

“It takes time for staff to gather, especially at night or on holidays, so this system offers high responsiveness. It can save lives,” a Sendai city official was quoted as saying.

An employee at a local pub in Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture was seen securing bottles and glasses with tape at the pub after Monday’s magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck off northern Japan, scattering dishes and other items.

The nation’s weather agency has also issued a rare megaquake advisory and asked the public to stay vigilant for the next week.

The quake on Monday night injured about 51 people, damaged roads, and left thousands without power amid freezing temperatures.

Japan experienced a powerful earthquake on Monday at 11.15pm local time off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, followed by a series of aftershocks over the next several days.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency’s latest statement, from 11.00pm on 8 December to 2.00pm on 11 December, a total of 25 earthquakes of seismic intensity 1 or higher (on the Japanese earthquake intensity scale that runs from 0 to 7) were recorded.

On 9 December alone, there were a total of 16 aftershocks, according to the JMA statement.

Japan has recorded a series of powerful aftershocks in the past several hours, including a magnitude 5.7 earthquake near the east coast of Honshu and a 4.9 earthquake in the Hokkaido region shortly after.

Two smaller quakes, of magnitudes 3.2 and 3, were also detected near the southern coast of Honshu.

These come after the magnitude-7.5 earthquake that struck the country on Monday night, after which a megaquake advisory was also issued.

The Japanese authorities have put in place a megaquake advisory after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck northern Japan.

It warns that the chances of a huge earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher are greater for roughly a week after Monday night’s sizeable tremor.

A post on the Japan Meteorological Agency website provides some projections for what the impact might be if a particularly large megaquake strikes an ocean trench off Japan.

It says a megaquake of the highest class is an extremely rare event, occurring “once every thousand years or even less frequently”.

The damage and casualties caused would vary depending on the season, time of day, and weather conditions.

The forecasts show that Hokkaido could face tsunamis between 10 and 20 metres, with Erimo Town possibly seeing nearly 30 metres.

Western Hokkaido areas like Tomakomai and Hakodate might get around 10 metres.

In Aomori, Hachinohe could experience tsunamis over 25 metres, while the Pacific coasts of Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima might see 10–30 metres.

The strongest shaking is expected in Hokkaido, with Akkeshi Town possibly reaching intensity 7 (on the Japan earthquake intensity scale), and areas east of Erimo reaching 6+.

Northern Honshu, including the Pacific coasts of Aomori and southern Iwate, could also feel 6+ intensity shaking.

Japan sits at the junction of several tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

While earthquakes are common, some of the most powerful and dangerous ones originate from ocean trenches.

Monday’s magnitude-7.5 earthquake in northern Japan has brought attention back to the Japan Trench and the Chishima Trench.

A trench earthquake occurs along a deep crack in the ocean floor, called a trench, where one tectonic plate slides beneath another in a process known as subduction.

Over years or decades, stress builds as the plates get stuck.

When that stress is suddenly released, it can produce a powerful megathrust earthquake.

Because these earthquakes occur under the ocean, they often generate tsunamis, which can be extremely large and destructive.

The Japan Trench, off the east coast of Honshu, and the Chishima Trench, off northern Hokkaido and stretching toward the Kuril Islands, are key locations for these events.

These trenches have produced some of Japan’s most devastating earthquakes, including the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, a magnitude 9.0 megathrust quake that triggered massive tsunamis along the coast.

Historical patterns show that magnitude-7 or higher quakes in these regions can be followed by even larger earthquakes, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA).

This is why Japan established a megaquake advisory system – a special alert to warn residents of northern Japan when the risk of a major trench-type earthquake and tsunami is elevated.

Authorities have confirmed that the megaquake advisory remains in effect following Monday’s earthquake in northern Japan.

Multiple powerful aftershocks have also rocked Japan in the two days since, although none on a par with Monday night’s 7.5-magnitude tremor.

Residents and travellers in affected areas have been urged to stay vigilant, follow official guidance, and monitor updates from the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The megaquake advisory is in effect until 16 December. Officials estimate there is a one in 100 chance of the “big one” – an earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher – striking.

Citizens across 182 municipalities in seven prefectures along the Pacific coast, ranging from Hokkaido in the north down to Chiba Prefecture, have been asked to stay vigilant and keep megaquake grab-and-go emergency kits ready in case of any emergency.