Photo: USGS
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake was reported in Japan on Thursday (December 11), according to the United States Geological Survey.
The earthquake was recorded at 11:44 p.m. local time and centered about 71 miles east-northeast of Hachinoche, at a depth of 10.7 kilometers (about seven miles). The USGS said it received 13 reports of people having felt the earthquake at the time of publication.
A tsunami advisory was in effect for the earthquake, with authorities warning that waves could reach up to 3.3 feet, before the advisory was lifted a few hours later. Thousands of residents received evacuation orders via the Japanese emergency warning app NERV.
Thursday's earthquake was reported three days after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake was reported in Japan on Monday (December 8), according to the United States Geological Survey. Monday's earthquake was recorded at 11:15 p.m. local time and centered about 45 miles east-northeast of Misawa, at a depth of 53.1 kilometers (about 33 miles).
Japan has been bracing for a possible once-in-a-century earthquake for some time. In September, the country's earthquake investigation panel said there was a 60% to 90% chance that a megaquake would be present in the Nankai Trough, an area where seismic activity is present that stretches along the Pacific coast, capable of triggering a 66-foot tsunami likely to kill 300,000 and result in trillions worth of damages within the next 30 years, according to the BBC.
Japan is among the countries most prone to earthquakes as it's located on the 'Ring of Fire' region where earthquakes commonly occur in the Pacific. Earthquakes measured between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude can be felt by a large population, however, rarely results in much damage, according to Michigan Tech via the Sacramento Bee.
An estimated 500,000 detectable earthquakes are reported worldwide annually, however, around 100,000 are felt and only 100 typically result in serious damage. Officials strongly advise that anyone caught in an earthquake should drop, cover and hold on, according to the Sacramento Bee.