7.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan; Tsunami Warning Issued

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit central Japan on Monday, prompting a tsunami warning from a broad swath of the country's northwestern coast.

The quake occurred at 4:10 pm. It also shook buildings in central Tokyo, as per the reports.

Parts of the Sea of Japan coast were hit by a 1-meter-high tsunami, and a larger wave is anticipated, according to NHK, the public broadcaster. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued tsunami warnings for the coastal prefectures of Ishikawa, Niigata, and Toyama.

NHK reported that Hokuriku Electric Power is conducting checks for any irregularities at its nuclear power plants. A spokesperson from Kansai Electric Power mentioned that there are currently no abnormalities at their nuclear power plants, but the company is closely monitoring the situation.

The earthquake has knocked out power to thousands of homes and disrupted flights and rail services. Authorities are still assessing the extent of the damage and residents need to prepare for any more tremors, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in comments aired on NHK.

"Residents need to stay on alert for further possible quakes and I urge people in areas where tsunamis are expected to evacuate as soon as possible," Reuters quoted Kishida as saying. NHK broadcasted footage revealing a building collapsing in a cloud of dust in the coastal city of Suzu. In Kanazawa city, residents were seen taking cover under tables as tremors shook their homes. The earthquake also caused buildings in the capital, Tokyo, on the opposite coast to sway.

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan, causing devastation in towns and leading to nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima.

Hokuriku Electric Power reported that over 36,000 households in Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures had lost power. High-speed rail services to Ishikawa were suspended, and telecom operators Softbank and KDDI reported disruptions in phone and internet services in Ishikawa and Niigata, as per their websites.

Following the earthquake, Japanese airline ANA redirected four planes en route to airports in Toyama and Ishikawa midair. Simultaneously, Japan Airlines cancelled the majority of its flight services to the Niigata and Ishikawa regions for the remainder of the day, as reported by TV Asahi.

Meanwhile, Russia's emergencies ministry said that parts of the western coast Sakhalin island, situated close to Japan on Russia's Pacific seaboard, were under threat of tsunami, and that the local population was being evacuated, state news agency TASS reported on Monday.