A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s Kyushu region, prompting tsunami warnings, widespread power outages, and emergency measures as authorities assessed damage.
A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, triggering tsunami warnings for coastal communities and prompting emergency responses across several prefectures.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at approximately 4:27 p.m. local time. The tremor reached the highest level on Japan’s seven-point seismic intensity scale in some locations, highlighting the severity of the shaking.
Following the quake, the JMA issued a tsunami warning, cautioning that waves of up to one meter could reach nearby coastal areas. Residents living along the coast were advised to remain vigilant, avoid shorelines, and follow evacuation instructions issued by local authorities.
Emergency earthquake alerts were activated across multiple prefectures, including Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki. Authorities urged the public to prepare for possible aftershocks while emergency services assessed the situation.
The earthquake disrupted transportation and power supplies across parts of Kyushu. Reports indicated that nearly 40,000 households experienced electricity outages, while JR Kyushu temporarily suspended train services to inspect railway infrastructure and ensure passenger safety.
Kyushu Electric Power confirmed that inspections at the Sendai and Genkai nuclear power plants found no signs of damage or operational abnormalities. Officials said continuous monitoring would remain in place as a precaution.
The latest earthquake comes just weeks after a magnitude-7.2 tremor struck northern Japan on June 25 without causing significant casualties or widespread destruction.
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