فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
April 20, 2026 International News
International – FAS News
A powerful earthquake struck northern Japan today, Monday, April 20, 2026, with a magnitude of over 7 on the Richter scale, triggering tsunami waves reaching 80 centimeters, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Data indicated that the earthquake occurred off the coast of Iwate Prefecture in the Pacific Ocean, where the first tremor was recorded at 4:53 p.m. local time, followed by tsunami waves reaching 70 centimeters, then 80 centimeters in the port of Kuji, approximately 41 minutes after the earthquake. City and Local Guides
The Japanese agency clarified that the earthquake’s magnitude was later revised to exceed 7.7, noting that the tremors were strong enough to shake buildings in the capital, Tokyo, despite being hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter.
In the aftermath, authorities issued urgent warnings to residents of coastal areas, calling on them to evacuate immediately and head to higher ground or safe shelters, while warning of the possibility of repeated tsunami waves.
The Japanese government also announced the activation of a crisis response team to monitor developments, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to follow safety instructions and not to leave safe areas until the alert is lifted.
Although no major damage was immediately reported, initial images showed no apparent damage in a number of ports, while the agency warned of the possibility of aftershocks in the coming days, which could be particularly strong during the first 72 hours.
This earthquake comes amid ongoing seismic activity in Japan, which lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where four major tectonic plates converge, making it one of the countries most prone to earthquakes, with an average of nearly 1,500 tremors annually.
The country still bears the scars of the 2011 disaster, when a magnitude 9 earthquake followed by a devastating tsunami left approximately 18,500 people dead or missing, in one of the worst natural disasters in its modern history.
Japan also experienced a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake on the Noto Peninsula in January 2024, which claimed the lives of hundreds of people, in addition to injuries and varying degrees of damage from another earthquake at the end of 2025.
Japanese authorities continue to urge citizens to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions, given the ongoing risk of aftershocks and geological instability in the region.
Source: Fes News Media
