Tsunami alert lifted after magnitude 6.6 earthquake rattles south-western Japan

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter scale struck southwestern Japan. The earthquake occurred at 9:19 PM on Monday (11:19 PM Australian Eastern Time), with its epicenter located in Miyazaki Prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu. Shortly after the earthquake, tsunami warnings were issued for Miyazaki and nearby Kagawa prefectures, but these were subsequently lifted.

The Meteorological Agency initially estimated the earthquake's magnitude at 6.9, but later revised it to 6.6. An official initially told reporters that the revised magnitude was 6.7, but the Meteorological Agency then issued a statement revising the magnitude to 6.6. No reports of damage have been received at this time, and some residents in coastal areas were told to evacuate as a precaution.

According to public broadcaster NHK, a man on Kyushu sustained minor injuries after falling down stairs. Trains at Miyazaki Station stopped running, causing passengers to be stranded. NHK stated that a tsunami estimated to be up to one meter high reached land within 30 minutes of the earthquake. Reports indicated that a water level of 20 centimeters high was detected at the port of Miyazaki. People were warned to stay away from water, including rivers. Meteorological Agency official Shigeki Aoki told reporters that people should be aware of landslides and falling objects in their homes. He stated that aftershocks are possible in the next two to three days.

The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that the earthquake had a focal depth of 30 kilometers and shook a wide area of Kyushu, the main southwestern island of Japan. NHK television footage showed traffic running normally and street lights illuminated, indicating that the power supply was still functioning properly. Monitoring stations at various nuclear power plants in the region did not detect any problems. Japan frequently experiences earthquakes due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Experts from the Meteorological Agency met later on Monday to assess any possible link between this earthquake and a potential Nankai Trough earthquake, but decided not to take any special measures for the time being. The Nankai Trough is a vast area considered prone to periodic major earthquakes. In 1946, a Nankai Trough earthquake off the coast of Shikoku killed more than 1,300 people. The region was hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake last August.