Tokyo, Sep 24: The Japanese weather agency said that a 50 centimetre tsunami struck an island south of Tokyo on Tuesday following a magnitude 5.9 earthquake, according to local media. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) had issued a tsunami advisory for the Izu and Ogasawara islands shortly after the tremor but lifted it by 11 a.m. local time, stating that tsunami activity had sufficiently subsided, reports Kyodo news.
However, minor sea level fluctuations may persist for about half a day. According to the weather agency, the earthquake, which struck at 8:14 a.m. (local time), had its epicentre near Torishima in the Izu island chain, located in the Pacific about 10 kilometres underground.
At 8:58 a.m. (local time), the 50 cm tsunami was recorded at Hachijo Island, approximately 180 kilometres north of the quake's epicentre. A smaller, 10-cm tsunami was detected at Miyake Island. No injuries have been reported thus far, according to Tokyo police.The JMA initially predicted tsunami waves of up to 1 metre and advised the public to avoid coastal areas.
The agency warned that slight tidal changes could still be observed along the Pacific coast, but there is no concern about tsunami-related damage. A tsunami advisory that urged residents to stay away from the coastline was triggered after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Japanese islands on Tuesday morning. While the advisory has been lifted, the agency continues to caution against activities such as fishing and swimming due to potential sea level changes.
