Magnitude 7.5 earthquake and tsunamis strike northern Japanese coast

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A 7.5-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami alerts in northern Japan, with waves measuring more than 80 centimetres high. 

The quake occured off the coast of Sanriku late afternoon today, triggering two tsunamis in two ports in Iwate prefecture. The Japan Meterological Agency urges residents to stay away from costal areas where tsunami waves as high as 3 metres are expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido. 

The tremor had an epicentre in the Pacific Ocean and was 10 km deep, reports the agency. The quake measures an 'upper 5' on Japan's seismic intensity scale, strong enough to make it diffcult for people to move around and cause unreinforced concrete-block walls to collaspe. 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says an emergency task force is being put into place and urges citizens in nearing areas to evacuate to safety. 

An NHK broadcast shows ships evacuating out of ports in Hokkaido while the tremors put a halt to bullet train services in Aomori, Honshu island's most northern tip. Tohoku Electric is checking the impact on its Onagawa nuclear power plant in the Tohoku region, located directly below Hokkaido. 

One of the world's most earthquake-prone countries,a 7.5 magnitude quake last December, also near Aomori, injuring dozens. In 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami caused 22,000 in casualties and forced half a million to flee their homes in Fukushima. Many never returned due to concerns over radiation spewed from the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.