A potent earthquake recently hit Japan’s southern coast, leading to a tsunami warning. Inhabitants were advised to keep their distance from the seashore, though initial statements indicated no severe injuries or substantial damage. According to The Japan Meteorological Agency, the earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.1, originated in the ocean off the eastern shoreline of Japan’s southernmost principal island, Kyushu, about 30km (18.6 miles) deep. The tremors were most intense in Nichinan city and neighbouring regions in the Miyazaki prefecture of Kyushu island.
Following the earthquake, tsunami waves reaching up to 50cm (1.6ft) were observed along certain sections of the southern coast of Kyushu and the adjacent island of Shikoku, half an hour post the event. Experts quickly convened an emergency conference to inspect if the earthquake had impacted the nearby Nankai Trough, which has previously been the epicentre of catastrophic earthquakes. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Chief cabinet secretary, stated that assessments were underway to detect serious injuries or damage, none of which were reported instantly. He appealed to the residents of the affected areas to steer clear of the seashore.
Reports of shattered windows at Miyazaki airport, close to the earthquake’s epicentre, were aired on Japan’s NHK public television. The Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed the safety of all twelve nuclear reactors on the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, three of which are operational. The occurrence of earthquakes near nuclear power stations has been a significant worry since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear catastrophe triggered by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
Japan, which is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a sequence of seismic faults surrounding the Pacific Ocean, is known to be one of the globe’s most susceptible countries to earthquakes. There was an earthquake in Japan’s north-central zone of Noto on January 1st which resulted in more than 240 casualties.