Tsunami Threat Passes After Japan Earthquake
- A magnitude 6.9 earthquake (initially reported as magnitude 6.7) struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture,Japan,on Sunday evening,May 5,2024,at 5:03 p.m.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially issued a tsunami advisory for Iwate Prefecture, forecasting potential waves up to 1 meter (approximately 3.3 feet) in height.
- the initial quake registered shindo 4 in Morioka city and Yahaba town in Iwate Prefecture, and also in Wakuya town in neighboring miyagi Prefecture.
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Earthquake and Tsunami Advisory Issued Off Coast of Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Table of Contents
– Updated as of November 9, 2025, 8:35 PM PST
Earthquake Details and Tsunami Waves
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake (initially reported as magnitude 6.7) struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture,Japan,on Sunday evening,May 5,2024,at 5:03 p.m. local time. The quake registered a 4 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, known as shindo.This triggered tsunami waves of 20 centimeters (approximately 8 inches) in some coastal areas and prompted evacuation orders in select municipalities.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially issued a tsunami advisory for Iwate Prefecture, forecasting potential waves up to 1 meter (approximately 3.3 feet) in height. The advisory was lifted shortly after 8:00 p.m. local time.The JMA reported observing a 20 cm tsunami at Ofunato Port in Iwate at 6:25 p.m. and another 20 cm wave at Kuji Port in Iwate at 5:52 p.m. NHK World-Japan reported on the tsunami observations.
Seismic Activity and Impact
the initial quake registered shindo 4 in Morioka city and Yahaba town in Iwate Prefecture, and also in Wakuya town in neighboring miyagi Prefecture. Following the initial quake, 11 aftershocks were recorded in the same area by 8:30 p.m., including one with a magnitude of 6.3 and a shindo of 3.
As of the initial reports, there were no injuries or structural damage reported. East Japan Railway Company temporarily suspended operations of the Tohoku Shinkansen (bullet train) between Sendai and Shin-Aomori stations due to a brief power outage. Kyodo News reported on the Shinkansen suspension.
Tohoku Electric Power confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at its Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture. Reuters reported on the status of the nuclear power plant.
Government Response and Future Outlook
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents via her X (formerly Twitter) account to evacuate coastal areas and remain vigilant for aftershocks and potential tsunami waves. Prime Minister Takaichi’s X account.
A JMA official cautioned at a news conference on Sunday evening that earthquakes of similar or greater magnitude could occur in the coming days. This suggests continued seismic risk in the region.