A strong magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan near Hokkaido late Monday, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported, according to NBC News . Early estimates initially reported a magnitude of 7.2 before revising to 7.6. The quake’s epicenter was roughly 30 miles (about 50 kilometers) below the sea surface near Aomori prefecture, approximately 44 miles (70 kilometers) offshore, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed, according to CNN’s report.

The tremor was widely felt, including in Tokyo, where it lasted over 30 seconds, causing power outages and suspending high-speed trains between Fukushima and Aomori, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara and CNN’s reporting from Japan’s capital.

Tsunami alerts and evacuations underway

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