Following a series of shallow earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean’s Izu Islands, Japan issued a tsunami warning for several coastal areas early on Monday. However, seismologists reported that there were no immediate indications of damage from the small waves that were produced.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, tsunami waves measuring 60 centimeters (24 inches) slammed Hachijojima island, 280 kilometers (170 miles) south of Tokyo, while others measuring 40 centimeters (cm) and 20 centimeters (cm) were recorded in western Kochi prefecture and southern Miyazaki prefecture, respectively.
Although Tateyama municipal of Chiba, close to Tokyo, advised residents in coastal regions to evacuate after the advisory, the JMA stated that no damage had been detected.
At a press conference, JMA official Toshihiro Shimoyama cautioned that “it is dangerous in the sea and near the coast.”
“Please get out of the sea and stay away from the coast.”
Shimoyama said the JMA “haven’t been able to pinpoint the cause” although it assumed a quake had generated the tsunami waves.
The biggest Izu island quake, a 5.4 magnitude one that occurred at 5:17 am Sunday (21:17 GMT), around 551 kilometers south of Shimoda, was reported by the US Geological Survey as a sequence of shallow quakes.
The most recent warning was issued after Japan saw a one-meter tsunami close to the Izu islands following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake last week.
