A strong magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of north-east Japan at 11:15 pm local time. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that a tsunami as high as 3 metres (10 feet) could hit the region’s coast. Tsunami warnings cover Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures. Before midnight, a small tsunami of 40 cm was recorded at ports in Aomori and Hokkaido. The earthquake’s epicenter was about 80 km (50 miles) off Aomori at a depth of 30 miles. East Japan Railway stopped some train services as a precaution. Japan often faces earthquakes due to its location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where about 20% of large earthquakes globally occur. This area was also hit by the huge 9.0 quake in March 2011. Authorities have ordered residents in the affected coastal areas to evacuate. More updates will follow.