Japan orders evacuation in 11 towns

Evacuation advisories have been issued to residents in 11 towns in Japan's Iwate prefecture, where the biggest waves are forecast to hit, News.Az reports, citing Sky News.

The advisories are non-binding.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has urged residents in the region to stay away from the coast and along rivers and to take shelter on higher ground.

It also cautioned people in the area about possible aftershocks for around a week.

A powerful quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck northeastern and northern Japan on Monday, with a tsunami warning issued, the country's weather agency said, according to Kyodo.

The 4:53 p.m. quake registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency issued tsunami warnings for Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures, forecasting tsunami waves of up to 3 meters to arrive immediately.

An 80-centimeter tsunami was observed at Kuji port in Iwate Prefecture, the agency said.

No abnormalities were reported at the Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear plants in Aomori and Miyagi prefectures, or at the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plants in Fukushima Prefecture, according to their operators.

Speaking to reporters at her office, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged people in quake-affected areas to evacuate to higher ground.

JR East said it has suspended services of the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations.

The earthquake's magnitude was initially estimated to be 7.4 but was later revised up.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev