Japan on high alert for huge second quake after lifting tsunami warning

Officials in Japan have raised alarms about a greater chance of a "huge" earthquake happening within the next week. This warning follows a 7.7 magnitude quake that hit off the north-east coast, leading to the evacuation of residents and alerts about possible tsunami waves reaching 3 meters (10 feet). Thousands were instructed to move to safer ground after the quake occurred in Iwate prefecture, located 530 km (330 miles) north of Tokyo, the capital. The largest tsunami waves recorded were 80 cm high. Although tsunami warnings and advisories were removed hours later on Monday, Japan’s meteorological agency cautioned that stronger earthquakes could still happen in the upcoming week, potentially generating larger waves. Authorities indicated that the chance of an earthquake measuring 8.0 or greater is "relatively higher than during normal times." Many in Japan vividly remember the devastating quake of 2011, which resulted in a tsunami that claimed over 18,000 lives and caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The undersea quake on Monday was detected at a depth of 10 km, prompting alerts for possible larger waves to residents close to the epicenter, particularly on Honshu, Japan’s main island, and in the northern area of Hokkaido. Tremors were even felt in Tokyo. In Hokkaido, tsunami alerts were still active for several hours after the quake struck at 16:52 local time (08:52 BST). Chaw Su Thwe, a Myanmar citizen residing in Hokkaido, shared with the BBC, “As soon as we heard the earthquake alert, everyone ran downstairs. However, this time the shaking was relatively mild."