7.1-magnitude earthquake hits Japan, tsunami warning

Last Updated on August 9, 2024 9:49 am

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale has struck southwestern Japan. The earthquake hit the Miyazaki region of the western main island of Kyushu around 4:43 p.m. local time on Thursday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a tsunami warning for the country following Thursday’s earthquake.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, the country’s chief cabinet secretary, told reporters that there were no unusual incidents at the nuclear power plants after the earthquake. The country’s government is investigating the damage and casualties in the earthquake.

JMA said sea waves in Miyazaki had already reached 50 centimeters, the country’s state-run NHK World reported.

Authorities issued warnings of a tsunami of up to one meter high along the Pacific coast of western Kyushu and Shikoku islands, NHK said.

Earthquakes are common in Japan. Japan is one of the most earthquake active areas in the world. About one-fifth of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater occur in Japan.