A powerful magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck off Japan’s northern coast in the Pacific today, sparking tsunami warnings and sending thousands of residents along the archipelago’s eastern coast fleeing to higher ground, officials said.

A POWERFUL undersea earthquake prompted tsunami warnings yesterday for Japan and Russia but the danger appeared to pass after a series of tiny waves hit the northern Japanese coast.

A strong earthquake has shaken northern Japan today, prompting authorities to briefly warn of a threat of a small tsunami wave along the country’s northeastern shore.

A strong earthquake has shaken northern Japan, but there were no reports of damage or injuries.