Authorities in Japan have issued a tsunami warning after a series of strong earthquakes hit Ishikawa and nearby regions, with one having a preliminary magnitude of 7.6.
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reports that there are people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings and thousands of homes suffering power cuts.
Many are being evacuated and urged to flee to high ground due to the tsunami threat.
Initially, the meteorological agency warned that a major tsunami may hit Ishikawa, but this was later downgraded to a regular tsunami warning several hours later.
JMA also issued tsunami warnings for the coastal prefectures of Niigata and Toyama, marking the first major warnings since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan.
A spokesperson said, a tsunami over 1.2m high struck Noto in Ishikawa, and that there is a risk of fires, houses collapsing and landslides in areas affetced by strong quakes. It urged members of the public not to return to unsafe areas for at least one week.
A major tsunami warning means waves of more than 3 metres are likely to hit the regions. Russia also issued tsunami warnings in its far eastern cities of Vladivostok and Nakhodka. Over 30 buildings have collapsed in Ishikawa, a local fire department in Wajima City said.
