Japan activates tsunami warning after 7.4-magnitude earthquake in northern Japan

A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.4 shook northern Japan on Monday and caused waves of 80 centimeters, reported the national meteorological agency (JMA), which issued a tsunami warning due to a forecast of waves of up to three meters. The quake was recorded at 4:53 p.m. local in Pacific waters off the north of Iwate prefecture.

"Immediately evacuate coastal regions and areas near rivers to a safer location, such as higher ground or an evacuation building. Tsunami waves are expected to strike repeatedly. Do not leave safe areas until the warning is lifted," the alert stated.

The tremors were felt in Tokyo, hundreds of miles away

The tremor was strong enough to shake large buildings as far away as Tokyo, located hundreds of kilometers away. The prime minister's office reported that it has activated a crisis management team.

Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, as it sits on four major tectonic plates on the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire."

More than 1,500 earthquakes a year

The archipelago, home to some 125 million inhabitants, usually records around 1,500 tremors each year and accounts for approximately 18% of the planet's earthquakes.

The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and the depth below the earth's surface.

In 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a tsunami that left 18,500 dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.