A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck near northeastern Japan on Monday night, injuring multiple people and triggering tsunami alerts and evacuation orders for thousands of residents.
The big picture: The quake that the Japan Meteorological Agency noted happened around 23:15pm local time at a depth of 31 miles some 50 miles off the coast of Aomori Prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, caused "blackouts and fires" in some areas, a government official said at a briefing.
The scene in Tohoku town in Aomori Prefecture on Dec. 9 following the quake that struck during freezing temperatures. Photo: JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images/Japan OUT
A worker clears debris at a shopping center damaged by the earthquake in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, on Dec. 9. Photo: JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images/Japan OUT
A tsunami warning flashes over live footage of a waterfront area on a television screen in Sapporo, in Japan's northern Hokkaido prefecture on Dec. 9. Photo: Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images
Japan Meteorological Agency official Satoshi Harada speaking at a briefing on the quake in Tokyo on Dec. 9. Photo: JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images/Japan OUT
An advisory reading "Tsunami! Run!" (top) and "Tsunami warning issued for central Hokkaido's Pacific Coast" flashes over the live footage of a boat leaving a port, on a television screen in Sapporo, in Japan's northern Hokkaido prefecture on Dec. 8 following the quake. Tsunami alerts were later canceled. Photo: Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images/Japan OUT
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses the media in Tokyo on Dec. 8 after the quake. Japan's meteorological agency recored two 15.7-inch tsunami waves. Photo: JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images/Japan OUT
Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos.
