A major tsunami warning has been issued in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture, national broadcaster NHK reported, after a series of earthquakes – one with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 – hit the country’s west.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning along coastal regions of Niigata and Toyama prefectures as well.
NHK TV warned torrents of water could reach as high as 5 meters and urged people to flee to high land or a top of a nearby building as quickly as possible.
The broadcaster reported that a tsunami with a height of 1.2 metres reached Wajima city in Ishikawa and another reaching 40cm was recorded at Kashizawaki city.
Reports of damage were not immediately available.
South Korea’s meteorological agency said sea levels off its eastern province of Gangwon could rise after the earthquakes.
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