Japan, on Thursday, issued a tsunami advisory following a strong earthquake struck near its outlying islands in the Pacific Ocean. According to the officials, it is expected that a potential tsunami could reach one meter in height.
The advisory, the second-lowest of a four-stage warning system, asks people on islands in the Izu chain, which stretches south from the Tokyo region on the main Japanese island of Honshu, to stay away from coasts and river mouths.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said an offshore earthquake measuring magnitude 6.6 occurred late Thursday morning in the area at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The quake was not felt on the islands or in the Tokyo region, but the meteorological agency warned a tsunami as high as 1 meter could reach coastal areas of the islands. A tiny tsunami of about 30 centimetres (1 foot) was observed in the Yaene area on the Hachijo island, the agency said.
It is worth mentioning Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone places on earth. A massive quake in 2011 caused a tsunami that destroyed huge swaths of northern Japan and caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
(With inputs from agency)
