Severe 7.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan’s North-East Coast

Sat Dec 20 2025 13:55:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A powerful earthquake struck Japan's north-eastern coast, prompting tsunami warnings and injuring several residents. Government response teams are mobilized for rescue operations.

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Japan's north-eastern region, resulting in tsunami warnings and causing injuries among locals. The quake occurred offshore, leading to precautionary evacuation orders for nearly 90,000 residents. Government officials are actively assessing damage and coordinating emergency relief efforts.

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.6 has hit Japan's north-eastern region.

The quake occurred at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at a depth of 50km (31 miles), about 80km off the coast of the Aomori region, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported.

This triggered tsunami warnings, which have since been downgraded to advisories, although waves of 40cm (16 inches) were reported in some areas.

Local media indicates that some people in the region have sustained injuries, while train services were suspended as a precaution.

As a response, evacuation orders were issued for approximately 90,000 residents, according to Reuters news agency.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported from Hachinohe that several individuals had been injured.

The government has activated a response office within the Prime Minister's crisis management center and convened an emergency team, as stated by Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara.

We are making every effort to assess the damage and implement emergency disaster response measures, including rescue and relief operations, Kihara added.

No irregularities have been reported at the Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear power plants as a result of the quake, according to Tohoku Electric Power. The authorities also confirmed the disabled Fukushima nuclear site showed no abnormal signs.

Japan remains a geography fraught with seismic instability, experiencing a tremor at least every five minutes, and the preparedness of its government for such natural disasters is critical given the history of devastating earthquakes in the region.