A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck off the southern coast of Japan, prompting tsunami advisories in the region, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake’s epicenter was located just a few miles off the coast of Miyazaki, a city on Japan’s Kyushu island with a population of around 400,000. Residents have been placed on high alert for potential tsunamis in the wake of the tremor.
The earthquake occurred in the Hyuganada Sea, just off Kyushu’s eastern coast, at a depth of approximately 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory, warning of possible waves up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) along Kyushu’s southern coastline and the nearby island of Shikoku.
Authorities have urged people to stay away from coastal areas and rivers, cautioning that aftershocks, possibly of similar magnitude, could follow.
Footage captured by Ryosuke Take, an employee at a local radio station in Kirishima on Kyushu, shows office objects shaking vigorously during the quake. “The shaking was very strong,” Ryosuke told ABC News. Listeners reported that dishes fell from kitchen shelves, and nearby hotels experienced issues with elevators and kitchens.
In Kochi prefecture, one area has ordered evacuations, though significant sea level changes have not been observed.
The quake registered a lower 6 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, which ranges from 0 to 7. This level of shaking is considered intense enough to knock over furniture, damage some concrete structures, and potentially topple wooden buildings.
Despite the severity of the quake, there are currently no reports of major damage. Shaking was not felt in Tokyo, the capital city, and no irregularities have been reported at regional nuclear plants.