A powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake has struck Japan's northeastern coast, triggering a tsunami warning and causing concern among residents. The quake, which occurred at 11:44 am local time on Friday, was centered off the coast of Aomori Prefecture at a depth of 20km (12.4 miles). The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a tsunami advisory, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the magnitude. Despite initial fears, there are no immediate signs of abnormalities at the region's nuclear facilities, according to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.
This earthquake follows a similar event on Monday, which measured 7.5 in magnitude and caused significant damage. The JMA issued a rare special advisory warning residents across a wide area to be on alert for a potential powerful earthquake within a week. The region is haunted by the memory of a devastating 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which resulted in approximately 18,500 deaths and missing persons.
Japan's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where four major tectonic plates meet, makes it one of the world's most seismically active countries. The government has warned that a potential quake in the Nankai Trough and subsequent tsunami could be catastrophic, potentially killing up to 298,000 people and causing damages worth up to $2 trillion. Residents and authorities are on high alert, and the JMA continues to monitor the situation closely.
