A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 struck off the northern coast of Japan late Monday, prompting a tsunami that reached up to 70 centimeters (27 inches) in some Pacific coastal areas, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency. Officials warned that even higher surges could occur.

The tremor occurred around 11:15 p.m. local time (1415 GMT) approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) offshore from Aomori, the northernmost prefecture on Japan’s main island of Honshu. The quake originated roughly 50 kilometers (30 miles) beneath the ocean floor.

Tsunami measurements indicated a height of 70 centimeters at Kuji port in Iwate Prefecture, just south of Aomori, while other nearby coastal communities experienced waves up to 50 centimeters. The agency issued alerts for potential surges of up to 3 meters (10 feet) in certain areas. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara urged residents to move to higher ground or take shelter in buildings or designated evacuation centers until the threat subsides.

Several injuries were reported. NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, said multiple people were hurt at a hotel in Hachinohe, Aomori, and a man in Tohoku sustained minor injuries after his car fell into a sinkhole. Fires were also reported in Aomori, and roughly 90,000 residents were advised to evacuate to safety, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Satoshi Kato, vice principal of a public high school in Hachinohe, described the scene to NHK. He said that while at home, glassware and bowls fell and shattered. He then drove to his school, a designated evacuation center, encountering traffic jams and minor accidents along the way as residents panicked. No evacuees had arrived at the school yet, he said.

Kihara confirmed that nuclear power plants in the affected region were undergoing safety inspections, with no issues reported so far.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that the government has formed an emergency task force to assess the damage. “We are prioritizing people’s lives and taking all necessary measures,” she said.

The quake struck just north of the area devastated by the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which claimed nearly 20,000 lives.