Watch waves crash ashore and the 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocking Japan

Japan has been struck by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake, killing at least 48 people as of the time of reporting, injuring dozens and causing widespread damage.

The region was struck with multiple earthquakes, each ranging in severity but the largest was recorded to have a magnitude of 7.6 and occurred at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles on the west coast of Japan's main island, around 186 miles from Tokyo. The epicenter of the quake was located on the peninsula, and the majority of the damage has been concentrated there with authorities now saying that they are at a race against time to recover any survivors buried under rubble and debris.

Notably, aftershocks can slam the same affected region within the next few days, according to Japan's meteorology agency, which also informed residents living near coastal areas to not return to their homes despite the preliminary tsunami warnings that stated waves could reach as high as 16 feet, per Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV. Below are a collection of videos posted to TikTok showcasing some of the damage the massive earthquake has caused.

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The New Year's Day earthquake marked the first time Japan has issued a tsunami warning since March 11, 2011, which was a tsunami that killed 18,000 people, and caused nuclear meltdowns. Notably, nuclear regulators have reported no disruption across more than 20 reactors following the earthquake, illustrating the necessary changes made to designs post the 2011 disaster.