Japan extends tsunami advisory for coastal areas along Pacific Ocean

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan extended a tsunami advisory for more coastal regions along Pacific Ocean on Monday after issuing it to the two island areas south of Tokyo.

The advisory is in effect as far southwest as the Amami Islands, about 1,542 kilometres from the nation’s capital, and eastern parts of Chiba prefecture next to Tokyo as of 0130 GMT on Monday.

Residents in some prefectures where the advisory is in effect have been urged to evacuate, according to media reports. No significant damage has been reported so far.

The tsunami already arrived in some island areas, which reported waves as high as 60 centimetres (24 inches), national broadcaster NHK said.

The advisory came after an earthquake near Torishima Island at 5:25 a.m. (JST), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The United States Geological Survey measured a quake in the area with a magnitude of 4.9.

The Izu Islands area, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Tokyo, was the site of an earthquake-triggered tsunami advisory on Thursday.

(Reporting by Rocky Swift and Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Kim Coghill and Gerry Doyle)