Japan issued a tsunami advisory for some coastal areas early Monday after a series of shallow earthquakes hit the Pacific Ocean’s Izu Islands, but there were no immediate reports of damage from smaller waves, geologists said.
A tsunami wave of 60 centimeters (24 inches) hit the island of Hachijojima, 280 kilometers (170 miles) south of Tokyo, while 40 centimeters and 20 centimeters were recorded in western Kochi Prefecture and southern Miyazaki Prefecture, according to Japan Meteor.
No damage was reported, the JMA said, but the city of Tateyama in Chiba, near Tokyo, urged residents in coastal areas to evacuate after being advised.
JMA official Toshihiro Shimoyama warned during a news conference that “it is dangerous at sea and near the coast”.
“Please get out of the sea and stay away from the coast.”
Shimoyama said the JMA “could not pinpoint the cause” although they assumed an earthquake had generated the tsunami wave.
The US Geological Survey, however, reported several shallow earthquakes in the Izu Islands, the strongest of which was a magnitude 5.4 tremor recorded at 5:17 a.m. (2117 GMT Sunday) about 551 kilometers south of Shimoda.
The latest advisory comes after Japan monitored a one-meter tsunami near the Izu Islands following a 6.5-magnitude earthquake last week.
