Powerful earthquake: Japan hit with 6.7 magnitude quake; tsunami warning issued

A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan on Sunday evening, shaking buildings across Iwate Prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the magnitude 6.7 quake hit at 5:03pm (local time), with the epicentre located in the Pacific off Sanriku at a depth of around 10km.The Japan Meteorological Agency to issued an advisory for a potential tsunami reaching up to one metre (three feet) in height.The quake reached a seismic intensity of 4 in parts of Iwate.The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory for waves up to 1 meter (3 feet) along the northern coast, which remained in effect an hour after the quake. Public broadcaster NHK urged people to avoid coastal areas and warned of possible aftershocks. Small tsunami waves were recorded at Ofunato, Ominato, Miyako, and Kamaishi, reaching 20 centimeters (8 inches) in Kuji. The tremors caused temporary delays for bullet trains and local power outages.Tsunami waves can continue for hours and may grow with time. Japan, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is highly earthquake-prone, with the region hit by a devastating quake and tsunami in 2011.