A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake has shaken Japan , prompting tsunami warnings and orders for residents to evacuate.

A tsunami as high as 3 metres (10ft) could hit the country’s north-eastern coast after the earthquake occurred offshore at 11.15pm local time (2.15pm GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

Tsunami warnings were issued for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate, and tsunamis from 20-50cm (7-18in) high were observed at several ports, JMA said.

The epicentre of the quake was 50 miles (80km) off the coast of Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 30 miles, the agency added.

On Japan’s one-to-seven scale of seismic intensity, the tremor registered as an “upper six” in Aomori prefecture – a quake strong enough to make it impossible to keep standing or move w

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