A powerful earthquake rattled southwestern Japan, according to the country’s meteorological agency on Monday. In response to the tremor, authorities issued tsunami warnings.
The earthquake, which struck at 9:19 p.m. local time, had its epicenter in Miyazaki Prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu, and tsunami warnings were also issued for the nearby Kochi Prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued an advisory, warning of potential tsunami waves of up to one meter (three feet).
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) revised its initial estimate of the earthquake’s magnitude down from 6.9, adding that “there is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.”
Despite this, the JMA urged the public to avoid coastal areas. “Tsunami can strike repeatedly. Please do not enter the sea or go near coastal areas,” the agency advised on X.
No irregularities were reported at the Ikata nuclear power plant.
The extent of the damage remains unclear. Japan is frequently affected by earthquakes due to its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
