A major 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's north-eastern coast near Aomori at 23:15 local time (14:15 GMT). The quake was 50 km deep and occurred about 80 km offshore, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Following the quake, tsunami warnings were issued, and waves up to 40 cm high appeared in some areas. Around 90,000 residents were ordered to evacuate. Local media said some people were injured. Train services were stopped as a safety measure. NHK quoted a hotel worker in Hachinohe confirming that several people were hurt. Fortunately, no problems were reported at the Higashidori and Onagawa nuclear power plants, according to Tohoku Electric Power. Japan frequently experiences earthquakes, happening every five minutes on average.