Powerful 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan, Tsunami Warning Issued

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning and emergency alerts across several prefectures on the island of Kyushu. Authorities urged people in coastal areas to move to higher ground as waves of up to one metre were expected.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake struck near Kumamoto prefecture at a depth of around 10 kilometres below the sea surface.

Tsunami warning issued after powerful quake

Following the earthquake, authorities issued a tsunami warning, with waves reaching up to one metre feared along affected coastal areas.

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that waves of up to the predicted level may already have been recorded. Residents near the coast were advised to evacuate to higher ground and follow instructions from local authorities.

Emergency earthquake warnings were issued for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki prefectures on Kyushu.

Japan government orders immediate damage assessment

The Japanese Prime Minister’s Office instructed authorities to quickly assess the extent of damage caused by the earthquake.

Officials were directed to prioritise human life and take all necessary measures as part of the emergency disaster response.

There were no immediate reports of abnormalities at nuclear power plants following the earthquake, according to Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Second major earthquake within a week

The latest tremor comes after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck northern Japan on June 25. That earthquake caused no deaths or major damage.

Japan is among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where several tectonic plates meet. The country experiences hundreds of tremors every year, though most are relatively mild.

Japan still carries memories of 2011 disaster

The latest earthquake has renewed attention on Japan’s vulnerability to major seismic events. In 2011, a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami that killed or left missing around 18,500 people and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Earlier this year, on April 20, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck northern Japan, injuring at least 10 people and shaking buildings in Tokyo. Authorities subsequently issued an advisory over an increased risk of a magnitude 8.0 or stronger earthquake, which was lifted a week later.