- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake was observed off the southern coast of Japan, and a tsunami warning was issued.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency said tsunamis of up to 1.6 feet were observed in parts of Kyushu and Shikoku about 30 minutes after the quake struck.
- Seismological service officials warned that strong aftershocks were possible for about a week.
A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of southern Japan on Thursday, triggering a tsunami warning and urging residents to stay away from the coast, but there have been no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake had a magnitude of 7.1 and was centered in waters off the east coast of Kyushu in southern Japan, at a depth of about 18.6 miles.
The earthquake caused the most severe shaking in and around Nichinan city, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu.
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The Japan Meteorological Agency said tsunamis of up to 1.6 feet were observed along parts of the southern Kyushu coast and near Shikoku about 30 minutes after the quake struck.
Seismologists were holding emergency meetings to analyze whether the quake had affected the nearby Nankai Trough, which has been the source of several devastating earthquakes in the past.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said authorities were investigating whether there were any injuries or serious damage but that there had been no immediate reports. He urged people in the affected areas to move away from the coastline.
An earthquake warning was issued in Nagasaki Prefecture on August 8, 2024, and visitors to Peace Memorial Park crouched down. (Kyodo News via AP)
Shigeki Aoki of the Department of Seismology warned that there is a possibility of strong aftershocks over the next week or so.
Japan’s NHK public television reported that windows were shattered at Miyazaki Airport, near the epicenter, and the airport’s runway was temporarily closed for safety inspections.
NHK showed dozens of people gathering at a designated evacuation site on a hill.
In the neighboring city of Osaki in Kagoshima Prefecture, a concrete wall collapsed and a wooden house was damaged, but no one was injured.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said all 12 reactors in Kyushu and Shikoku, including the three currently in operation, are safe.
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Earthquakes have been a major concern in areas with nuclear power plants since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011.
Japan is located on the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, a zone of earthquake faults that surrounds it, making it one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.
More than 240 people were killed when an earthquake struck Noto in north-central Japan on January 1st.
