People look at an electronic display announcing suspension of Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train service due to an earthquake, at Sendai Station in Sendai, northern Japan, April 20, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Reuters-Yonhap

TOKYO — Japan on Monday issued an advisory for northern coastal areas for an increased risk of a possible mega-quake induced by a major quake earlier in the day.

The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there is 1 percent chance for a mega-quake occurring on the northern Japanese coast in the next week or so following the powerful quake earlier Monday near the Chishima trough.

Officials said the advisory is not a quake prediction but urged residents to raise their preparedness, such as emergency food and their grab bag just in case, while continuing their daily lives.

The advisory for the region is the second in recent months. One was issued following another major quake in December. No major subsequent quake occurred.

This comes after apowerful earthquake struck off the northern Japanese coast. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert in the region, sending residents to rush over to safer grounds. So far, no major injuries or damages have been reported.

The quake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 occurred off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan at around 4:53 p.m. (0753 GMT), at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6 miles), the agency said.

A tsunami of about 80 centimeters (2.6 feet) was detected at the Kuji port in the Iwate prefecture within one hour of the quake, and a smaller tsunami of 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) was recorded at another port in the prefecture, the agency said.

The tsunami alert and advisory were still in place in Japan, with warnings of a wave of up to 3 meters (10 feet), but The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the tsunami threat from the quake “has now passed.”

The agency urged residents in the region to immediately stay away from the coast or along rivers and take shelter on higher ground. It also cautioned people in the area against possible aftershocks for about a week.

Source: Korea Times News