Tsunami alert after 6.9-magnitude earthquake hits Japan
- This story is developing, more to come
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 has struck southwestern Japan, the country’s Meteorological Agency said on Monday.
Tsunami warnings were issued for Miyazaki Prefecture, where the earthquake occurred, on the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as for nearby Kochi Prefecture, shortly after the quake struck at 9:19 p.m. local time, the agency said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued an advisory for tsunami waves of up to one meter, adding that it rated the quake as a lower five on Japan’s seismic scale of seven.
According to the scale, earthquakes with an intensity of a lower five are likely to cause windows to crack, power poles to move and cause minor damage to roads.
In addition, rockfalls and landslides may occur.
Fears over the nuclear power plants in Sendai and Ikata are so far unfounded as no irregularities have been reported, NHK news agency said, citing Shikoku Electric Power.
It was not immediately clear how extensive the damage was.
The European Mediterranean Seismological Center said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 37 km (23 miles).
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 has struck Japan (File image)
The JMA urged the public to stay away from coastal waters, writing in a message to Please do not enter the sea or go near coastal areas.’
Japan is regularly hit by earthquakes due to its location along the ‘Ring of Fire’, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
More to follow.