Photo: USGS
A 7.6-magnitude earthquake was reported in Japan on Monday (December 8), according to the United States Geological Survey.
The 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). The USGS said it received 63 reports of people having felt the earthquake at the time of publication.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert for coastal regions of Japan following the 7.6-magnitude earthquake. It wasn't immediately clear if the tsunami threat extended beyond the coastlines and the U.S. Tsunami Warning Centers are expected to provide an update Monday morning.
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.