Massive Quake Rocks Japan, Triggering Tsunami Alert

A powerful earthquake has struck off the northern coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami warning for the region. The quake, which had a magnitude of 7.3, was centered about 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of the city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency has warned that a tsunami of up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) could hit the coast of Miyagi prefecture. Residents in the affected areas have been advised to evacuate immediately and move to higher ground.

The earthquake was felt strongly in the Tohoku region, which was devastated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. That disaster, which had a magnitude of 9.0, triggered a massive tsunami that killed nearly 16,000 people and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

While the current quake is significantly smaller than the 2011 event, authorities are taking the threat of a tsunami seriously, given the region's history. Japan is located on the Pacific