Japan Rattled by Strong 7.6 Earthquake; Coastal Regions Brace for Tsunami

Tokyo: Japan issued a tsunami warning on Monday after a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the country’s northeastern coast. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit at 7:45 pm local time, 73 km east-northeast of Misawa city, at a depth of 53.1 km, classifying it as a shallow and potentially destructive tremor.

Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, citing the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), reported that the first tsunami waves—expected to reach up to three metres—were projected to hit port areas along the Pacific coast between Aomori and Iwate by around 11:40 pm.

Evacuation order issued in Japan following 7.6 quake

3-meter (10 feet) high tsunami waves could hit the coast

Locals film their homes shaking https://t.co/R81NnsA3TZ pic.twitter.com/HeLvI6AT31

— RT (@RT_com) December 8, 2025

Shallow quakes, occurring within the top 70 km of the Earth’s crust, typically unleash stronger shaking because the seismic energy is released closer to the surface.

A Nation on Constant Seismic Alert

Japan lies at the convergence of four major tectonic plates—the Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian, and North American plates—making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. This zone, part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” routinely experiences intense seismic and volcanic activity.

Monday’s quake adds to a long history of devastating earthquakes in Japan. Earlier this year, on January 1, 2024, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake killed nearly 600 people and destroyed thousands of homes. In 2016, twin quakes measuring 6.2 and 7.0 claimed over 250 lives.

Japan’s worst recent disaster remains the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, a 9.1-magnitude megaquake that triggered towering 40-metre-high tsunamis, killed around 19,000 people, and caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

Authorities are monitoring Monday’s quake closely as coastal residents brace for possible tsunami waves.