00:03Sirens rang in the coastal town of Afunado after a powerful offshore earthquake triggered a tsunami
00:10warning on Monday. It was later downgraded to a tsunami advisory. The magnitude 7.7 quake
00:19struck off the northeastern coast of Japan. Bullet train services were halted and some
00:25motorways were closed due to the tremors. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked people to be
00:33prepared to evacuate immediately and always carry emergency supplies for about a week.
00:41The tremor had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean and was about 12.4 miles deep,
00:47according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, or JMA. Authorities urged residents to stay away
00:54from coastal areas where tsunami waves of up to about 10 feet were expected. Such tsunamis could
01:02flood buildings and carry off anybody exposed in their currents, causing damage to low-lying areas,
01:09according to the JMA. A government spokesperson, Minoru Kihala, said there were no immediate reports
01:18of casualties or major damage. But he urged residents to stay alert for big aftershocks.
01:26Located in a ring of fire, Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries,
01:31with a tremor occurring at least every 5 minutes.
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