A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Japan on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The local meteorological agency has issued tsunami warnings for coastal areas.
The USGS mistakenly reported two separate earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.9 and 7.1. The USGS later corrected this error, stating on its website, “This event originally showed as two events in our event list. This error has been fixed. There was one event.”
Tsunamis up to one meter high were anticipated or had already hit certain coastal regions of the Kyushu and Shikoku islands, as reported by NHK. The Japan Meteorological Agency advised on X, “Tsunamis will beat. Please do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted.” There were no immediate damage reports.
The USGS reported the earthquake occurred at 4:42 pm, 33 kilometers deep, approximately 29 kilometers southeast of Miyazaki on Kyushu.
In response, the Japanese government established a special task force, according to an official statement.
Japan, located on four major tectonic plates along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the most tectonically active countries globally, with around 1,500 earthquakes annually, accounting for about 18 percent of the world’s earthquakes.
Most tremors are mild, but their impact varies based on location and depth. However, Japan’s strict building codes and advanced construction techniques generally mitigate significant damage from even large earthquakes.
On New Year’s Day, a massive earthquake on the peninsula resulted in at least 260 deaths, including 30 “quake-linked” fatalities. The quake and aftershocks toppled buildings, caused fires, and disrupted infrastructure during New Year celebrations.
Japan remains haunted by the 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake in March 2011, which triggered a tsunami, leaving about 18,500 people dead or missing and causing three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant to meltdown, leading to the country’s worst post-war disaster and the most severe nuclear incident since Chornobyl.
In March 2022, a 7.4-magnitude quake off Fukushima’s coast shook eastern Japan, resulting in three deaths.
Tokyo experienced a devastating earthquake in 1923, highlighting the country’s vulnerability despite preparedness measures.