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A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan’s Kumamoto region on Tuesday, knocking out power to thousands of homes, halting trains and prompting tsunami and aftershock warnings.
The Japanese government issued emergency earthquake warnings for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki prefectures, all on Japan’s southern Kyushu island. A tsunami warning with a wave measuring one meter was issued after the earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The advice was removed within two hours.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, urged citizens to avoid the coast where a tsunami is predicted. He said his government has established a team to collect information, assess the possible damage and prepare rescue plans if needed.
Takaichi later told reporters that there were reports of injuries and damage to dozens of roads, bridges and buildings, as well as power outages and fires, although the details were unclear. Takaichi warned cooks to be careful of fire and broken glass pieces.
“We put people’s lives first,” Takaichi said, urging residents in high-seismic areas to be vigilant because of possible strong tremors.
It is prone to earthquakes
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities and infrastructure in the region, although authorities are still assessing the extent of the damage caused by the quake.
Companies including Sony and TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, have plants in the quake zone.
A Sony spokesperson said the company is looking into the situation. TSMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Japan is one of the most earthquake prone countries, with an earthquake occurring at least every five minutes. Located along the “Ring of Fire” of volcanoes and ocean trenches that partially surround the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20 percent of earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater.
Kumamoto was hit by a deadly earthquake in 2016 that left more than 50 people dead, 1,800 injured and tens of thousands of houses damaged or destroyed.
Kyushu Electric Power said about 40,000 homes were without power due to the quake, while the JR Kyushu train company said it had suspended operations, including its high-speed trains.
No malfunctions have been reported at nuclear power stations in the area, Japan’s nuclear weapons regulator said.
