Japan has issued its first mega-earthquake warning after tremors were recorded today in the same area where “one of the world’s deadliest earthquakes” occurred almost 80 years ago.
The 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Kyushu Island, southern Japan, near the city of Nichinan, at 4:43 p.m. local time.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning following the powerful quake. It also took the unprecedented step of issuing a formal warning about a possible “megaquake.”
The agency said submarines in the Nankai Trough, where part of the Eurasian tectonic plate meets the Philippine tectonic plate, found the chances of a major earthquake in the region were “relatively higher than normal for the next week.”
Earthquakes in the Nankai Trough typically occur every 100 to 150 years. The most recent earthquake to hit the area was 78 years ago, in December 1946.
The 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Kyushu Island in southern Japan, near the city of Nichinan, at 4:43 p.m. local time.
People take shelter outside after the earthquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami warning after the powerful earthquake
Visitors to the Peace Park hunker down as an earthquake alert is issued in Nagasaki. Submarines in the Nankai Trough found that the chances of a major earthquake in the region were “relatively higher than usual for the next week.”
That earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and killed 1,300 people.
The Washington Post The tsunami wave is expected to reach a height of just one metre, but could grow exponentially very quickly. Following the powerful earthquake, bullet trains have stopped running in the area while the Japanese government assesses casualties and damage.
“This is the first time in my life that I have felt a tremor like this,” said a Kyushu resident as houses and power lines began to shake.
‘I usually barely feel it when I’m outside or in a car, but it shook to the point where even when I was standing, there was a fluttering sensation.’
The quake struck most strongly in the city of Nichinan and nearby areas in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu Island.
Images from Japan showed light fixtures and wall decorations swaying as today’s quakes struck.
Broadcaster NHK showed footage of traffic lights shaking violently in Miyazaki, on the southeastern coast of Kyushu.
“The sea surface is shaking. I felt a strong jolt when the earthquake hit, lasting between 30 seconds and a minute,” a local official told NHK.
Video showed power lines and buildings shaking as the quakes hit land in Kyushu.
People evacuate trains in Japan amid today’s earthquakes and widespread cancellations
Others prepare inside a shopping mall as tremors disrupt daily activities
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wrote on Twitter/X that he had issued instructions in response and that authorities were gathering information on the damage. “Please remain vigilant for strong tremors and take measures to protect your lives,” he wrote.
The broadcaster also reported that three people were injured in Miyazaki, but gave no indication of the severity of their injuries.
Japan’s meteorological society predicted waves of up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) along the southern coast of Kyushu and Shikoku.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported that the first quake was followed by another magnitude 7.1 temblor.
However, this was later deemed to be a mistake and the agency confirmed that there had only been one tremor.
“This error has been corrected. An incident occurred,” the USGS said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) also reported a single earthquake.
NHK reported that no abnormalities were detected at Japan’s Sendai nuclear plant in Kagoshima, recalling the devastating Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 when an earthquake knocked out power.
The Nuclear Regulatory Authority said all 12 nuclear reactors, including three currently in operation, in Kyushu and Shikoku remain safe.
The Japanese government has created a special task force in response to the earthquakes, the USGS reported.
Seismologists were also holding an emergency meeting to discuss whether the quake had affected the nearby Nankai Trough, the source of previous devastating earthquakes.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said officials were assessing possible injuries or serious damage, although none were immediately reported.
He urged residents in the affected region to stay away from the coast.
Streetlights began to shake as authorities told residents to move to higher ground.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wrote on Twitter/X that he had issued instructions in response and that authorities were gathering information about the damage.
“Please remain alert for strong tremors and take precautions to protect your lives,” he wrote.
On New Year’s Day, at least 260 people died after a major earthquake struck the peninsula, including 30 “earthquake-related” deaths in addition to those who died directly in the disaster.
The January 1 earthquake and its aftershocks toppled buildings, caused fires and destroyed infrastructure at a time when families were celebrating the New Year.
Located on the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.
In 2011, more than 15,000 people were killed in a magnitude 9 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami and three reactor meltdowns at a nuclear plant in Fukushima.
