7.5-magnitude earthquake hits western Japan triggering tsunami ...

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan on Monday afternoon, triggering a tsunami alert and prompting an official warning to residents to evacuate affected coastal areas as soon as possible.

The earthquake struck at 4:10 p.m. local time at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) around 42 kilometers (26 miles) northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa prefecture, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The Japan Meteorological Agency immediately issued a tsunami warning along coastal regions of western Japan, and the first waves were reported hitting the coast just over 10 minutes later.

Some of the first reports came from the city of Wajima in Ishikawa prefecture, which saw tsunami waves of around 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) around 4:21 p.m., according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. No immediate damage was reported.

A major tsunami warning was still in place in the city of Noto in Ishikawa prefecture, with waves of around 5 meters expected, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Earlier in a televised address, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi urged people living in areas under tsunami warnings to evacuate to higher ground.

Footage from Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed cameras shaking vigorously as waves slammed into the coastline when the quake hit Ishikawa prefecture.

Houses were also rocked by the earthquake, with images showing collapsed roofs and shaken foundations.

Social media videos also showed the aftermath of the quake with store aisles strewn with goods. One clip filmed from inside a train showed the signs on the platform rocking intensely with the tremor.

More than 32,500 homes in Ishikawa prefecture were left without power following the quake, according to Hokuriku Electric Power.

Japan’s Kansai Electric said in a statement on X that no abnormality had been reported at nuclear plants in the area.

The powerful quake was followed by a series of strong aftershocks, according to USGS.

A 6.2 magnitude aftershock at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) struck at 4:18 p.m. local time around 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) southwest of Anamizu, according to USGS.

Some 58 kilometers (about 36 miles) away, tremors of 5.2 magnitude were recorded, and another 5.6 magnitude aftershock was reported closer to the initial quake, according to USGS.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters at his official residence that the government would provide the public with timely and accurate information.

Waves of less than a meter were reported in a number of other areas along Japan’s western coast, including 80 centimeter waves in Toyama city, 40 centimeter waves in Kashiwazaki and Kanazawa port, and 20 centimeter waves in Tobishima island and Sado island.

Under Japan’s tsunami warning system, waves expected less than 1 meter fall under “tsunami advisory,” while waves expected above 3 meters fall under “tsunami warning” and waves expected above 5 meters fall under “major tsunami warning.”

The South Korean Meteorological Administration said it was watching for possible sea level changes in the east coast areas of Gangneung, Yang Yang and Goseong of Gangwon Province and Pohang City.

A tsunami threat has also been declared in the eastern Russian cities of Vladivostok, Nakhodka, and the island of Sakhalin – as the areas face the Sea of Japan – Russian state media TASS reported. No evacuations have been reported so far.

This is a breaking story. Updates to come.