Strong earthquake of 7.4 in Japan, followed by tsunami alert

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Monday afternoon, local time, according to an announcement from the Japanese meteorological agency, cited by Reuters.

The quake was felt strongly in the region, having a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers, which increased the risk of damage. Following this event, the agency issued a tsunami warning, predicting waves of up to 3 meters in the Iwate and Aomori prefectures, as well as in certain areas of Hokkaido. Local authorities are on alert, and the population is advised to evacuate to higher ground.

Information is being updated as more details about the impact of the earthquake are received.