Japan lowers tsunami warning after a series of earthquakes but tells people to stay away from coast

TOKYO — Japan dropped its highest-level tsunami alert after issuing one following a series of major earthquakes Monday but told residents of coastal areas not to return to their homes as deadly waves could still come.

The quakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6, started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. It was unclear how many people might have been killed or hurt.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than a dozen strong quakes in the Japan Sea off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures starting shortly after 4 p.m. local time.

At least six homes were damaged by the quakes, with people trapped inside, government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said. A fire broke out in Wajima city, Ishikawa Prefecture, and electricity was out for more than 30,000 households, he said.

The meteorological agency initially issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Honshu, as well as for the northernmost of the country’s main islands, Hokkaido.

Hayashi stressed that it was critical for people to move away from coastal areas.

“Every minute counts. Please evacuate to a safe area immediately,” he said.

The warning was downgraded to a regular tsunami several hours later, meaning the sea could still generate waves of up to 3 meters (10 feet). Aftershocks could also slam the same area over the next few days, the agency said.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV initially warned that torrents of water could reach as high as 5 meters (16.5 feet). The network continued to air warnings hours later as aftershocks rocked the region.

People returning to get their wallets and other belongings have been known to be swept away and drowned even hours after the first evacuation warning. People were evacuated to stadiums, where they will likely have to stay for a few days.

Japanese media footage showed people running through the streets, and red smoke spewing from a fire in a residential neighborhood. Photos showed a crowd of people, including a woman with a baby on her back, standing by huge cracks that had ripped through the pavement.