Japan authorities hope the alert will encourage residents to prepare for the worst, recalling the 2011 catastrophe that killed nearly 20,000 people.

Japan on Tuesday issued a rare “megaquake advisory” after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori, just south of Hokkaido.

While the quake caused only modest damage, 34 mostly mild injuries and limited impact on roads and buildings, officials said the tremor temporarily raised the risk of a much larger quake in the region, according to the Associated Press. Officials added that the advisory is not a forecast. The likelihood of a magnitude 8 or stronger earthquake remains low, about a per cent.

But authorities hope the alert will encourage residents to prepare for the worst, recalling the 2011 catastrophe that k

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