7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Japan and government orders 156,000 evacuation from coast

Japão lowered the tsunami alert level on its northeast coast this Monday, April 20, 2026. The measure comes after a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.7 hit the region and created the immediate risk of giant waves in the archipelago. The Japanese government, however, decided to maintain evacuation orders for around 156,000 people in five different prefectures. The guidance is that the population remains in high areas until all warnings are lifted by Agência Meteorológica of Japão (JMA).

The seismic activity occurred at 4:52 am, at Brasília time, with the epicenter located at Oceano Pacífico at a depth of 10 kilometers. Cerca Two hours after the main tremor, sensors detected the first waves approximately 80 centimeters high. Monitoring remains intense in Honshu and Hokkaido, the two largest islands in the country. The government’s main spokesman, Minoru Kihara, reported that there are no immediate reports of fatalities or major structural destruction so far.

Strict Monitoramento in northeastern port cities

The cities of Otsuchi and Kamaishi, which suffered severe damage during the 2011 catastrophe, have once again issued urgent evacuation orders to thousands of residents. The memory of the previous disaster accelerated the response of local authorities and the displacement of civilians to shelters in high points of the topography. Transport infrastructure has also been affected by preventive security measures.

• Serviços of bullet trains paralyzed throughout the railway network in the affected region.
• Rodovias main closed to civil vehicle traffic in risk areas.
• Quartéis of firefighters and civil defense in maximum readiness for rescues.
• Monitoramento constant of electrical installations and supply networks.

Tóquio’s government reinforced that caution is necessary due to the unpredictable nature of Oceano Pacífico after shocks of this magnitude. The JMA warned that a tsunami of up to three meters has enough energy to destroy buildings in low-lying areas and easily sweep away people. Therefore, lowering the alert does not mean the end of the danger for those who live on the coastline.

Escala of seismic intensity and risks of new shocks

The quake reached the “top five” level on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, which measures the impact felt at the surface and not just the energy released. Este level is considered strong enough to hinder pedestrian movement and cause cracks in walls and concrete constructions without technical reinforcement. Especialistas from JMA indicated that aftershocks, known as aftershocks, could be recorded with equal or greater intensity in the coming days.

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The geographic location of Japão in the so-called Anel of Fogo of Pacífico justifies the high frequency of geological events in the territory. The country is home to around 20% of earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 6.0 recorded globally. Japanese society’s rigorous preparation is a direct reflection of past tragedies, such as the one that occurred in Fukushima.

Segurança of nuclear installations and power grid

Empresas energy companies operating in the northeast region, like Hokkaido Electric Power Co. and Tohoku Electric Power Co., initiated verification protocols in their plants. Segundo the preliminary reports delivered to the government, no abnormalities were detected in the facilities, which were already deactivated. Electricity supply in most of the affected provinces remains stable.

Engineering teams continue to carry out inspections of bridges and viaducts to ensure there is no hidden structural damage. The forecast is that the full normalization of transport services will only occur after the definitive suspension of all tsunami warnings. Enquanto that, the army and coast guard patrol the coast to prevent the premature return of residents to the temporary exclusion zones.