TOKYO, Oct 5, 2023 – Japan issued a tsunami advisory for the islands off of the Izu peninsula on the eastern coast of the country on Thursday after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck nearby.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the earthquake struck at 11:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) at a depth of 550 km (340 miles) in the Pacific Ocean. The epicenter was about 550 km south of Tokyo.
The tsunami advisory is in effect for the Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands. The agency said waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet) could hit the islands within an hour of the earthquake.
The JMA said a tsunami of up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) was possible on the islands off of the Izu peninsula. The agency advised residents to stay away from the coast.
There were no reports of damage or injuries.
The most recent occurrence of an earthquake with a comparable magnitude near Torishima Island dates back to 2006, which resulted in a 16 cm tsunami reaching Miyake-jima. Notably, this marks the first instance of a tsunami alert being issued for the Izu Islands since the eruption of the Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and subsequent tsunami in 2022.
Japan is located in a seismically active zone and experiences frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. The country has strict building codes and early warning systems in place to minimize damage and loss of life.
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