According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the first tsunami waves were recorded along the country’s southwestern coast at around 5:55 p.m. local time on June 8, just hours after a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the waters off Mindanao, Philippines.
Japanese authorities issued emergency evacuation orders for residents in coastal areas of Kochi, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima prefectures, also advising people to stay away from the coast until further notice. Tsunami warnings were issued for many other prefectures across the Japanese archipelago.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially assessed that the earthquake could generate dangerous tsunami waves within a 1,000-kilometer radius from the epicenter. Experts said waves of 1 to 3 meters could hit Japanese shores in the coming hours.
Japan’s Prime Minister ordered the immediate establishment of a special task force to coordinate rescue efforts and instructed relevant ministries to closely monitor the situation and continuously update information for the public. No casualties or major damage have been reported so far, but officials warned that subsequent tsunami waves could be stronger.
