A massive earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale rocked central Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami warning and advisories for residents to evacuate.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning along western coastal regions of Ishikawa, Niigata, Toyama, Yamagata, Fukui and Hyogo prefectures, also along the Japan Sea Coast.
Waves more than one meter high (3.3 feet) struck parts of the coast along the Sea of Japan, including the coast of Wajima City in Ishikawa, while tsunami of up to five meters high (16.5 feet) are believed to be reaching Noto in Ishikawa, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Buildings began to sway in the area around the capital Tokyo. There were initially no reports of damage or casualties.
South Korea also warned the sea level in some areas along the east coast may rise after the earthquake.
Japan is one of the countries in the world most at risk from earthquakes due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire. The country is also home to about 10% of the world's active volcanoes.
In 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake rocked Japan and triggered a tsunami, leaving more than 15,000 people killed and a disaster at Fukushima nuclear plant. (QNA)
