7.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Kyushu; Japan Issues Tsunami Warning

Tokyo: Japan's Kyushu region was rocked by a strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami alert. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the earthquake originated at a depth of 10 kilometres below the sea surface.

When and where did the earthquake occur?

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake occurred at 4:27 pm local time on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometres beneath the seabed.

According to initial information, the epicentre of the earthquake was about 40 kilometres from the coast. However, in some reports its depth is also said to be 10 kilometres. 

Authorities have ordered all people living along the coast to evacuate the area to higher ground immediately. A high alert has also been issued in several prefectures by the Japanese government. 

What did the government say?

The Japanese government has issued an emergency earthquake warning for the southern island of Kyushu's Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki prefectures. 

The maximum intensity of the earthquake was 7 according to Japan's Shindo seismic scale. Authorities also issued a tsunami warning, with waves of up to one meter expected.   

With immediate effect, the Japanese Government and local authorities have suspended services on the Kyushu Shinkansen. Highways have been closed in the affected areas.  

Japan is located in one of the biggest seismic areas in the world, the "Pacific Ring of Fire. It is a place where four tectonic plates come together, leading to constant movement of the Earth. About 18 per cent of all major earthquakes occur in Japan.

What did the Prime Minister say?

After the earthquake, the Japanese prime minister's office on Tuesday instructed the authorities to assess the state of affairs regarding damage as soon as possible. 

The government also instructed authorities to prioritise human life above all else and spare no effort in emergency disaster response.