A powerful earthquake off the southern coast of Japan triggered a tsunami advisory on Thursday, with residents urged to steer clear of the coastline.
The quake registered magnitude 7.1 on the Richter scale with its epicenter located in the in sea off the eastern coast of the country’s southern main island of Kyushu at a depth of around 18.6 miles, according to The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Nichinan city and nearby areas in Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu island were most strongly shaken, but there are, as yet, no reports of injuries or serious damage.
The JMA said tsunami waves of up to 20 inches were detected along parts of the southern coast of Kyushu and on the nearby island of Shikoku around 30 minutes after the quake.
An emergency meeting was being held by seismologists to ascertain whether or not the tremor had had any affect on the Nankai Trough, a nearby submarine depression which has been the source devastating earthquakes in Japan’s past.
A press conference with the agency was scheduled for 7.45pm local time.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said officials were assessing possible injuries or serious damage, though none were immediately reported. He urged residents of the affected region to stay away from the coastline.
There were reports of minor damage, such as broken windows at the Miyazaki airport near the epicenter, according to Japan’s NHK public TV station.
The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority said all 12 nuclear reactors on the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku were safe, including the three currently in operation,
Earthquakes in areas with nuclear power plants have been a major concern since a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
