7.1-Magnitude Earthquake rocks Southern Japan

A powerful earthquake measuring a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning and emergency alerts across several regions on Kyushu Island.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake could generate tsunami waves of up to one metre (3.28 feet) and urged residents in coastal areas to remain on alert.

Emergency earthquake warnings were issued for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki prefectures as authorities assessed the impact of the strong tremor.

Earthquake hits Japan

As a precaution, railway operator JR Kyushu suspended train services, including its high-speed Shinkansen bullet trains, while emergency officials monitored the situation for possible damage.

Kyushu Electric Power said initial inspections found no irregularities at its Sendai and Genkai nuclear power plants following the earthquake, easing fears of damage to critical infrastructure.

Japan, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations, experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone where several tectonic plates meet. The country accounts for about 20 per cent of the world’s earthquakes measuring magnitude 6.0 or higher.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, but authorities urged residents to remain vigilant as aftershocks were expected.

Emergency agencies continued to monitor the situation while disaster response teams were placed on standby across the affected prefectures.