Strong 7.5 quake hits north-east Japan, triggering tsunami alert

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said a preliminary magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s north-eastern coast on Monday afternoon (April 20). 

The tremor was initially reported with its epicentre off the Sanriku coast of Japan, registering an upper 5 on the Shindo seismic intensity scale, at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The government issued a tsunami warning for the Pacific coast, with waves of up to 3 metres expected along coastal areas.