A 6.9 magnitude earthquake near Fukushima, off eastern Japan, has prompted a tsunami warning of possible 3m (10ft) waves.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake struck at around 06:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Monday, 21 November 2016, and is thought to be around 11 kilometers (8 miles) deep.
Tremors were felt in Tokyo and, whilst there has been no reports of major damage, residents have been urged to evacuate some coastal areas. Ships have been vacating the area and warnings of large waves have been issued.
Japan is located in relatively seismically active region. It accounts for around 20% of quakes worldwide which have a magnitude of 6.0 or more. The country sits along the “Ring of Fire”, a horseshoe-shaped area along the Pacific coasts of Asia and North and South America, which is plagued by fault lines on the boundaries of tectonic plates.
More than 1,000 earthquakes and many natural disasters are recorded annually in Japan but most do not measure the magnitude of today’s earthquake.
