A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 struck southwestern Japan, as reported by the country's Meteorological Agency on Monday. The agency has cautioned the public to steer clear of coastal areas due to a potential tsunami threat.
Tsunami advisories were promptly issued for Miyazaki Prefecture, the epicenter of the quake, located on the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as for nearby Kochi Prefecture. The earthquake occurred at 9:19 p.m. local time.
Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of damage. However, residents in the coastal city of Kochi were advised to evacuate as a precautionary measure.
According to reports from public broadcaster NHK TV, a tsunami, estimated to be up to 1 meter (3.2 feet) high, reached the land within 30 minutes of the quake. At Miyazaki Port, the detected water levels were recorded at 20 centimeters (0.7 feet) high.
The earthquake, which had a depth of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles), was felt across a wide area in Kyushu, the main southwestern island of Japan, as confirmed by the Meteorological Agency.
Japan experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location along the “Ring of Fire,” a region characterized by a high level of volcanic eruptions and tectonic plate movements in the Pacific Basin.
Despite the earthquake, NHK TV footage showed that traffic was still moving, and streets remained well-lit, indicating that electric power was functioning normally. Additionally, no issues were reported at the various monitoring stations for nuclear plants in the affected area.
