Tokyo, Japan – The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported a strong earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale at 11:44 a.m. Friday off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, northeast Honshu.
This earthquake comes in the same region that experienced a major earthquake of magnitude 7.5 on the night of December 8.
Force adjustment and tsunami warning issued
Kyodo News and NHK reported that the Japan Meteorological Agency revised the earthquake’s magnitude several times, starting at 6.5, then raising it to 6.7, and finally settling at 6.9. The depth of the epicenter was also revised from 20 kilometers to 17 kilometers.
Despite initial reports indicating no tsunami damage concerns, the Japan Meteorological Agency later issued a tsunami warning, a warning issued in Japan when waves between 0.2 and 1 meter high are expected to arrive.
A tsunami with waves up to 20 cm high was confirmed in Hachinohe Port in Aomori Prefecture, as well as in Irimo City in Hokkaido.
All tsunami warnings were lifted at 2:05 PM local time.
Earthquake intensity and local impact
The earthquake caused tremors of magnitude 4 on the JMA seismic intensity scale in the prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, and parts of Hokkaido.
