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Philippines not affected by tsunami threat following 7.4-magnitude Japan earthquake
The quake hit at 7.53am GMT in Pacific waters off Japan's northern Iwate prefecture; it was strong enough to shake large buildings as far as Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres away
- PUBLISHED: Mon 20 Apr 2026, 3:31 PM
There was no tsunami threat in the Philippines following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Japan on Monday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) assured.
The quake hit Japan at 4.53pm local time (0753 GMT; 3.53pm Philippine time) in Pacific waters off northern Iwate prefecture. The tremor was strong enough to shake large buildings as far as Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres away, according to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
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Following the earthquake, Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a tsunami warning for waves that could reach up to three metres (10 feet). A crisis management team was also set up by Japan's Prime Minister's office
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Phivolcs noted hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coastal areas within 300 kilometres of the earthquake’s epicenter, the Philippines, however, is not among those at risk.
The distance between the Philippines and Japan is approximately 3,100 kilometres.
According to Phivolcs, a tsunami is a series of sea waves commonly generated by undersea earthquakes that can reach heights up to more than five metres (16.4 feet). Tsunamis are different from tidal waves and storm surges.
