Severe Earthquake Strikes Japan Following Recent Tremors

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Friday, causing small tsunami waves but no apparent damage. The quake occurred off the east coast of Aomori prefecture at a depth of about 12 miles, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which initially issued a tsunami advisory that was lifted about two hours later.

Small waves were reported in Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures, but there were no serious injuries or damage reported. This earthquake followed a stronger 7.5 magnitude quake on Monday in the same region, which caused at least 34 injuries and resulted in light damage to roads and buildings, as well as triggering a tsunami of up to 28 inches in some Pacific coast communities.

The government had issued a megaquake advisory on Tuesday, estimating that an offshore megaquake could lead to a tsunami of up to 98 feet and potentially kill nearly 200,000 people. However, officials clarified that this advisory was not a prediction, and the probability of a magnitude 8 or larger quake was only about 1%.

The advisory aimed to raise awareness of the risks in Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast, where the Pacific Plate forms two trenches that have caused many large quakes historically. No tsunami alerts were issued for the West Coast of the U.S. or Hawaii after the recent quake.