Japan issues tsunami advisory after 6.7 quake jolts northeast

Japan issued a tsunami advisory on Friday after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast, sending strong tremors through Aomori and neighbouring prefectures. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake hit at 11:44 am , originating off Aomori’s east coast at a depth of 20 kilometres .

Friday’s quake comes just days after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake rattled the region earlier this week. That earlier tremor injured at least 34 people , caused power outages for hundreds of homes and triggered a 0.6 metre tsunami in Kuji port , Iwate. While power was restored by Tuesday, officials said the seismic activity has not settled .

Following Monday’s quake, seismologists noted a temporary increase in the likelihood of a magnitude-8 event along the northeastern coastline from Chiba to Hokkaido . While not a prediction of a major quake, authorities urged 182 municipalities to review their preparedness and track advisories.

Experts say more earthquakes are likely in the coming days as aftershocks continue . The JMA has kept an elevated watch in place, warning that the risk of strong tremors remains higher than usual. Seismologists added that such sequences are common in this tectonically active zone , and any offshore quake could bring further tsunami alerts .

The recent activity has revived memories of the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami , which killed nearly 20,000 people and crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant . While Friday’s advisory is far less severe, officials stressed the importance of vigilance in one of the world’s most disaster-prone coastlines.

Japan’s disaster agencies have urged residents to follow official updates , stay away from the coast if unusual waves occur, and keep emergency supplies ready while the risk of aftershocks persists.