A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck off Japan’s southern coast on Thursday, August 8th, prompting a tsunami advisory. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the quake occurred off the eastern coast of Kyushu, Japan’s southern main island, at a depth of approximately 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). Following the quake, tsunami waves up to 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) were observed along parts of Kyushu’s southern coast and Shikoku Island.
The earthquake was felt most strongly in Nichinan city and surrounding areas in Miyazaki prefecture. Seismologists are currently analyzing whether the quake impacted the nearby Nankai Trough, a region known for producing devastating earthquakes in the past. Nuclear plant operators in Kyushu and Shikoku are conducting inspections to assess any potential damage, a concern heightened by Japan’s experience with the Fukushima disaster following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Reports from NHK public television indicated some damage, including broken windows at Miyazaki airport near the epicenter. Japan, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. Earlier this year, on January 1, a significant earthquake in Japan’s north-central Noto region resulted in over 240 fatalities.
