MOSCOW: Russia's emergencies ministry says that parts of the western coast Sakhalin island, situated close to Japan on Russia's Pacific seaboard, were under threat of tsunami, and that the local population was being evacuated, state news agency TASS reported on Monday (Jan 1).

       A massive earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck central Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami warning and advisories for residents to evacuate. - Reuters