A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on April 20, triggering tsunami alerts, evacuations and renewed fears of something far bigger, a potential megaquake. Initially, tsunami alerts warned of waves as high as three metres, but those fears were later scaled down as actual surges measured around 80 centimetres. The quake, recorded at a depth of 20 kilometres beneath the Pacific Ocean by the Japan Meteorological Agency, registered an upper 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, strong enough to disrupt movement and damage weaker structures. While there have been no immediate reports of casualties or major destruction, the psychological impact is unmistakable. WATCH

Typhoon Sinlaku, has slammed into the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands, bringing destructive winds, torrential rain, and life-threatening storm surge. The Category 4 storm made direct landfall over Saipan and Tinian, with winds reaching up to 145 mph. Despite weakening from a Category 5, Sinlaku remains extremely dangerous, with forecasts warning of up to 25 inches of rain, massive waves, and widespread flooding.