Japan struck by earthquake, tsunami: Several injuries reported, thousands advised to evacuate; what we know so far

A strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, triggering a tsunami of up to 70 centimeters along the Pacific coast and prompting warnings of potentially higher surges. Several people were injured, and tens of thousands were advised to evacuate as authorities scrambled to assess the situation, according to reports from Associated PRess. Tsunami hits northern coast The quake struck around 11.15 pm. local time (1415 GMT) about 80 kilometers off the coast of Aomori, Japan’s northernmost Honshu prefecture. A tsunami measuring 70 centimeters was recorded at Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, while other coastal areas reported waves up to 50 centimeters. Officials issued alerts for potential surges as high as 3 meters in some locations. Injuries and damage repo