Japan Lifts Tsunami Warnings; Advisories In Effect

(NHK) Tsunami warnings have been lifted after a strong earthquake struck Northern Japan, but tsunami advisories are in effect.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued an alert for a potential mega-quake, following the magnitude 7.7 quake on Monday. The agency says residents in seven prefectures should prepare for disaster and listen for any updates.

Officials say there is an increased probability of a mega-quake along two deep-sea trenches in the Pacific Ocean. The alert covers 182 cities and towns from Hokkaido to Chiba.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings for Iwate Prefecture and Pacific coasts of Hokkaido and Aomori Prefectures in the Monday afternoon. Tsunami up to 3 meters high were expected, but the warnings have been lifted.

Tsunami advisories are still in effect in parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures. The water may reach up to 1 meter in those areas.

One 80-centimeter tsunami has struck Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture, and the water is still rising. A 40-centimeter tsunami has also struck Miyako Port in Iwate Prefecture, Urakawa Town in Hokkaido and Hachinohe Port in Aomori Prefecture. Less than 30-centimeter tsunami have reached other parts of Japan.

The agency raised the scale of the quake from magnitude 7.5 to 7.7 that occurred off the coast of Sanriku, Iwate Prefecture at 4:52 p.m., and had an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7 in the hardest-hit areas. The quake is estimated to be 19 kilometers deep.