SEOUL - Residents in South Korea’s Gangwon province have been warned to take precautions and evacuate to higher ground after a massive earthquake hit north central Japan on Jan 1 and triggered tsunami warnings, according to the safety ministry.

The country’s meteorological agency earlier said sea levels in some parts of the province on the east coast may rise, after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 hit north central Japan, and issued an advisory for caution.

It said tsunami waves of up to 0.3m could reach South Korea’s eastern shore between 0929 GMT (5.29pm Singapore time) and 1017 GMT.

Residents in Gangwon province were told in emergency text messages to stay away from the coast and evacuate to higher ground.

The city of Samcheok also advised residents to move to areas higher than a three-storey building, said the Ministry of Interior and Safety said. REUTERS