SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's Gangwon province warned residents to take precautions and evacuate to higher grounds after a massive earthquake hit north central Japan on Monday and triggered tsunami warnings, according the safety ministry.

       South Korea's meteorological agency earlier said sea levels in some parts of the Gangwon 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 0.3 metres could reach South Korea's eastern shore between 0929 GMT and 1017 GMT.

       Gangwon province told residents in emergency text messages to stay away from the coast and evacuate to higher ground. The city of Samcheok advised residents to move to areas higher than a three-storey building, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said.

       (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Neil Fullick and Alison Williams)