Residents in northeastern Japan were jolted awake late on 8 Dec when a violent 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast, putting the country on high alert just before midnight. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) quickly warned coastal communities that tsunami waves of up to three metres could hit the shoreline.
Sirens and smartphone alerts sounded across the region as authorities ordered tens of thousands of people to leave low-lying areas and move to higher ground. The quake has revived painful memories in a nation repeatedly exposed to major disasters, and it immediately triggered a nationwide disaster response.
