Magnitude 7.1 Quake Hits Southern Japan

A powerful earthquake struck off southern Japan on Thursday, causing mostly minor injuries but raising concerns about potential major quakes stemming from an undersea trough east of the coast, as reported by Mari Yamaguchi for the Associated Press (AP).

The quake most strongly affected Nichinan City and nearby areas in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu Island. I Photo: Kyodo

Officials reported that nine people were injured on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu, but the injuries were mostly minor.

There were no reports of serious damage, and tsunami advisories for the quake were later lifted. However, the quake prompted seismologists to hold an emergency meeting where they reassessed and increased the level of risk of major quakes associated with the Nankai Trough east of southern Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that Thursday’s quake registered a magnitude of 7.1 and was centered in waters off the eastern coast of Kyushu at a depth of about 30 kilometers (approximately 19 miles) below the sea surface.

The quake most strongly affected Nichinan City and nearby areas in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu Island.

The agency reported that tsunami waves of up to 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) were detected along parts of Kyushu’s southern coast and the nearby island of Shikoku about half an hour after the quake struck.