TOKYO, Japan. — A powerful earthquake shook off Japan’s southern coast Thursday, injuring some people and raising concerns about possible large earthquakes emanating from an underwater trench off the east coast.
Authorities reported that nine people were injured in Kyushuthe main island south of Japan, but most were minor injuries, no serious damage was reported.
However, the tremor caused seismologists to hold a emergency meeting in which they reassessed and increased the risk level of strong earthquakes related to the Nankai Trencheast of southern Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (AMJ) estimated the magnitude of the quake at 7.1, with its epicenter in the sea near the eastern coast of Kyushu, at a depth of about 30 kilometers.
The earthquake was felt especially in the city of Nichinan and nearby areas in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu Island.
Tsunami hits Japan after earthquake
The agency said they had Tsunami waves up to 50 centimeters detected along stretches of the southern coast of Kyushu and the nearby island of Shikoku about half an hour after the quake. Tsunami warnings were issued, but were lifted in most areas three hours later, and five and a half hours later in the remaining areas.
A tsunami of up to half a metre hit the Pacific coast of southwestern Japan on Thursday after a strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the region, leaving at least nine people slightly injured, while personal and material damages are still being assessed.
The earthquake occurred at 16:43 local time (07:43 GMT) at a depth of 30 kilometers in the Hyuga Seaoff the coast of Miyazaki prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, according to details from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which activated a tsunami warning of up to one meter in areas near the epicenter.
The first waves of the tsunami were detected at 17:01 (08:01 GMT) in the port of the city of Nichinan, opposite the epicenter, where they reached 20 centimeters, later reaching 40 cm in the port of Aburatsu, in the same city.
The highest tsunami, measuring half a metre, was observed in the port of Miyazaki, and other tsunamis measuring 30 centimetres were recorded in the city of Tosashimizu, Kochi Prefecture, on the neighbouring island of Shikoku; in the port of Shibushi, in Kagoshima, Kyushu; and in the city of Minamiosumi, in the same province, among other locations, with no reports of damage from the phenomenon so far.
About five hours after the earthquake, at around 10:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT), the tsunami warning was completely lifted in the affected areas, although a warning for possible slight changes in sea level remained in effect.
Emergency meeting
A team of seismologists from the agency held an emergency meeting to discuss whether the quake had affected the nearby Nankai Trough, which has been the source of devastating earthquakes in the past. They later issued an assessment that the possibility of a future quake in the area, originating from Kyushu toward central Japan, is greater than previously forecast. The agency added that it will continue to closely monitor plate motions near the Nankai Trough.
This does not mean there is an imminent danger of a major earthquake in the near future, but residents along the coasts along the trench, which stretches about 500 kilometers, are urged to review their earthquake preparedness, said Naoshi Hirata, a seismologist at the University of Tokyo and a member of an expert panel, at a joint news conference with AMJ officials.
There is a 70 to 80 percent chance of a magnitude 8 or 9 quake from the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years, Hirata said, adding that Thursday’s quake increases that possibility, although it is impossible to predict the exact time or location. He urged residents to maintain a high level of caution for a week from now.
The Prime Minister Fumio Kishida He told reporters that the government’s crisis management team will increase its disaster preparedness and called on people to heed information from authorities in case of another strong quake and not to spread missing or erroneous information.
Injury Report
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency He said nine people were injured, most of them with minor injuries from falls or being hit by objects, during Thursday’s quake in Miyazaki and neighboring Kagoshima.
Authorities were investigating whether there had been any damage or injuries, although none had been immediately reported, the chief secretary of the government said. Yoshimasa HayashiHe urged residents in the affected area to stay away from the coast.
The official of the AMJ Seismology Department, Shigeki Aokiwarned that strong aftershocks could occur for about a week.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK said there were reports of broken windows at Miyazaki airport near the epicenter. The runway was temporarily closed for safety checks.
Kyushu’s super-express shinkansen trains have resumed normal operations after temporary safety checks, but several local railway lines in quake-hit areas will suspend operations throughout Friday, according to Kyushu Railway Co.
NHK showed dozens of people gathering at a designated evacuation area on a hilltop.
In Osaki, in neighbouring Kagoshima prefecture, several concrete walls collapsed and a wooden house was damaged, but no injuries were reported.
The Nuclear Regulatory Authority said the 12 nuclear reactors, including three currently operating in Kyushu and Shikoku, were not damaged.
Earthquakes in areas with nuclear power plants have been a major concern since a strong earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Pacific Ring of Fire
Japan is in the Pacific Ring of Firean arc of seismic faults in the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.
An earthquake on January 1 in the north-central region of Noto killed more than 240 people.
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2024-08-20 09:46:33
