Massive 7.6 earthquake near Japan coast triggers tsunami warnings

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck offshore from Japan Monday, triggering tsunami warnings for the immediate coasts.

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit off Japan's coast on Monday night prompting tsunami warnings for coastal Japan.

The quake hit 45 miles (73 km) east-northeast of Misawa, Japan, Monday at 11:15 p.m. local time (9:15 a.m. EST).

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the central Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Aomori Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture. The statement said the tsunami could be as high as 9.84 feet (3 meters). As of 12:30 a.m. local time, tsunamis had been reported at several areas, but none were above 1.64 feet (0.5 m), which was the reading at Kujiko.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat to American Samoa, Hawaii, or the west coast of the United States.

There were few initial reports of shaking on land, but the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program "PAGER" product indicated a 30% chance of 1 to 10 deaths and a 35% chance of $1-$10 million in damage.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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