A significant earthquake has jolted the northern coast of Japan, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning.

The earthquake, registering a magnitude of 7.2, occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time on Monday (1:15 a.m. Tuesday AEDT). The epicenter was located approximately 70 kilometers off the coast of Hokkaido, near Aomori, and was centered about 50 kilometers beneath the sea surface.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency has warned that the tsunami could potentially reach heights of nearly three meters in certain coastal regions.

Regions at risk include Iwate, Aomori, and parts of Hokkaido. As of around 2 a.m. AEDT, the agency reported that a tsunami wave measuring 40 centimeters had already been observed in Aomori.

A team from CNN based in Tokyo noted that the earthquake’s tremors were strongly felt in the capital, with the shaking continuing for more than 30 seconds.

Several people were injured at a hotel in the Aomori town of Hachinohe, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a brief comment to reporters, said the government had set up an emergency task force to urgently assess the extent of damage.

“We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can,” she said.

Japan’s timezone is two hours behind AEDT. Given the quake struck in the middle of the night, it could be slow for information to emerge about what impacts have been felt.

Nuclear power plants in the region were conducting safety checks, public broadcaster NHK reported.

– Reported with Associated Press and CNN