Strong Earthquake Hits Southwestern Japan, Tsunami Warnings Issued
Major Earthquake Strikes Japan
Representational image
Tokyo, July 28: A significant earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale shook southwestern Japan on Tuesday. According to reports from local media, the country's meteorological agency has issued tsunami advisories for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas.
The quake occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture at a depth of 10 kilometers at 4:27 p.m. local time, as reported by Japan's Kyodo News, referencing the Meteorological Agency.
Previously, on June 26, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake caused minor injuries to 10 individuals in the central prefecture of Yamanashi and surrounding regions.
This earlier quake struck at a depth of approximately 20 kilometers and registered a lower 6 on Japan's seismic intensity scale of 7 in Fujikawaguchiko Town, while Otsuki City experienced an upper 5. Yamanashi Prefecture is notably home to Mount Fuji.
A lower 6 intensity indicates significant difficulty in standing, with unsecured items likely to fall and windows potentially breaking, as reported by Kyodo News citing the agency.
The last occurrence of such shaking in Yamanashi was recorded in 1924, raising concerns about potential volcanic activity at Mount Fuji. However, the JMA confirmed that no unusual volcanic activity was detected following the quake, according to reports from Xinhua News Agency.
The tremors were felt in Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures, as well as in Tokyo, although no tsunami warning was issued.
Additionally, on June 25, a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 earthquake struck Iwate Prefecture, as stated by the country's weather agency.
This earthquake hit the eastern coast of Iwate at a depth of around 50 kilometers, registering upper 6 on Japan's seismic scale of 7 in Hashikami Town, Aomori Prefecture. The shaking was distinctly felt in Tokyo, with the epicenter located at 40.2 degrees north latitude and 142.3 degrees east longitude.