Japan orders people to evacuate after 7.6-magnitude quake hits west coast

Major tsunami warnings downgraded but residents in coastal areas told not to return to homes

A powerful earthquake has struck central Japan's western coastline, triggering waves over a metre high and prompting tsunami alerts and warnings for people to evacuate.

The quake, which is estimated to have been magnitude 7.6, struck the Noto peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture on the main central island of Honshu at about 4.10pm local time (07.10 GMT). It knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and disrupted flights and rail services.