A powerful earthquake, revised to magnitude 7.5, struck off the coast of northern Japan late Monday night, triggering tsunami warnings and causing injuries across the Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures.

While the tsunami threat has now been lifted, authorities are cautioning residents to prepare for possible aftershocks.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed the quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time, centered off Aomori’s Pacific coast at a depth of 54 kilometers. It registered an "upper 6" on Japan's seven-tier seismic intensity scale in parts of Aomori, indicating severe ground shaking.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency has reported that at least 34 people were injured across the affected region, though no fatalities have been confirmed so far. Injuries were primarily caused by falling objects.

Approximately 90,000 residents were advised to evacuate from vulnerable coastal areas in Aomori, Hokkaido, and Iwate prefectures, with hundreds taking shelter at designated sites. The quake caused significant disruption, including cracks in roads, temporary power outages, and the suspension of Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train services.

Following the jolt, the JMA initially issued a major tsunami warning, cautioning that waves could reach up to three meters. The highest observed tsunami was 70 centimeters recorded at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture.

The tsunami warnings were successfully downgraded to advisories in the early hours of Tuesday, and were entirely lifted by 6:20 a.m. local time, allowing residents to begin returning to their homes.

No irregularities were reported at the nuclear power plants in the region. However, officials confirmed that about 450 liters of water spilled from a spent fuel cooling area at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant, though it was contained and posed no safety risk.

The JMA has issued a special alert, warning that the area is now at increased risk of another similar or even larger magnitude quake for the next week. Japan, situated on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire," remains on high alert. (ILKHA)