Map showing the location of the earthquake off Japan in relation to Hawaiʻi, from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Labels added by BIVN.

Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Off Japan Triggers Possible Tsunami Threat For Pacific

Big Island Video News

Apr 19, 2026

STORY SUMMARY

HONOLULU - The earthquake occured at 9:53 p.m. HST, and was located off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

UPDATE(10:50 p.m.) – In an updated message, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that “based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected, and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi.” 

(BIVN) – Emergency officials said a tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific Ocean following a powerful earthquake off Japan on Sunday night.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred at 9:53 p.m. HST, and was located off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

“A tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported just after 10 p.m. on Sunday night, “but it is still too early to determine whether there is a possible tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi.”

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that if there is a tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi, the earliest estimated time the hazard might begin is 5:06 a.m. HST on Monday, April 20.

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