A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast Monday, prompting authorities to warn residents to avoid coastal areas where tsunami waves of up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) were expected.

The tremor had an ​epicentre in the Pacific Ocean and ​was ⁠10 kilometers deep, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The biggest waves were expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, authorities said.

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety.

Broadcaster NHK showed ships sailing out of Hachinohe port in Hokkaido in anticipation of the ⁠waves, ⁠as an alert "Tsunami! Evacuate!" flashed across the screen.

Bullet train services in Aomori at the northern tip of Japan's main Honshu island were halted due to the tremors, Kyodo news agency reported.

The quake measured an 'upper 5' on Japan's seismic intensity scale – strong enough to make it difficult for people to move around. In many ⁠cases, unreinforced concrete-block walls collapse.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. ​Located in the "Ring of Fire" of volcanoes and oceanic trenches ​partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude ⁠6.0 ‌or more.

There ‌are no nuclear power plants currently ⁠in operation in Hokkaido and Tohoku ‌regions, but Hokkaido Electric Power Co and Tohoku Electric Power Co ​have several shutdown ⁠nuclear power plants there. Tohoku ⁠Electric said it was checking the impact of the earthquake ⁠and tsunami ​on its Onagawa nuclear power plant.