TOKYO, April 20 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- A powerful quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck north-eastern and northern Japan on Monday, with a tsunami warning issued, the country's weather agency said, Kyodo News Agency reported.
The 4:53 pm quake registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The agency forecast tsunami waves of up to 3 metres immediately reaching the Pacific coast of Hokkaido and Iwate prefectures.
An 80-centimetre 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 on the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations.
The earthquake's magnitude was initially estimated at 7.4 but was later revised upwards.
-- BERNAMA-KYODO
