Hundreds of Hong Kong tourists were in Japan when a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck late Monday night, but local authorities said all were reported safe with no requests for help received so far.
The Travel Industry Council on Tuesday said that about 20 Hong Kong tour groups – with about 300 people – were in the country when the quake hit northern Japan at 11.15pm, triggering a warning of an increased risk of a magnitude 8 or larger earthquake in the coming week.
“All of them are reported safe, and there are no major changes to their itineraries,” council chairman Tommy Tam Kwong-shun said.
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The quake, which struck 80 km off the coast of Aomori prefecture, sent tremors that were felt across the country from Hokkaido to Kinki, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
So far, at least 30 people have been reported injured.
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The quake triggered tsunami warnings and evacuations, as waves of up to 70cm were observed at ports in Iwate and Aomori.