A powerful earthquake of preliminary magnitude 7.1 struck Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami advisory for parts of southern Japan and temporarily suspend rail services across Kyushu.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake occurred at approximately 4.27 pm local time at a depth of around 10 kilometres.
The epicentre was located in Kumamoto on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, about 900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo.
Following the quake, the JMA issued a tsunami advisory for coastal areas bordering the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea, warning that tsunami waves of up to one metre could reach the coastline.
The advisory covered parts of Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures.
Authorities urged residents to stay away from beaches, harbours and other coastal areas and advised them not to return until the tsunami advisory is officially lifted.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami extending beyond Japan’s local coastlines.
No Immediate Reports of Major Damage
There were no immediate reports of deaths, injuries or significant structural damage following the earthquake.
Emergency services and local authorities began assessing roads, bridges, buildings and other critical infrastructure while remaining on alert for possible aftershocks.
As a precautionary measure, JR Kyushu temporarily suspended train operations, including services on the Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail network.
Emergency earthquake alerts were issued across Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki prefectures.
Nuclear Facilities Report No Abnormalities
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said inspections found no abnormalities at three nuclear facilities located near the affected region.
Kyushu Electric Power also confirmed that no irregularities had been detected at the Sendai and Genkai nuclear power stations after the earthquake.
Memories of the 2016 Kumamoto Disaster
The powerful tremor revived memories of the devastating Kumamoto earthquakes in April 2016, which killed more than 50 people, injured around 1,800 others and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of homes.
Japan lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most seismically active regions, and experiences frequent earthquakes.
The country has some of the world’s strictest earthquake-resistant building standards and an advanced early-warning system designed to minimise casualties and damage during major seismic events.
