TOKYO — Japan issued its first warning Thursday about the potential for a long-feared “megaquake” after a strong 7.1-magnitude temblor struck off its southern coast, sparking a tsunami advisory however no instant reviews of great harm or accidents.
The earthquake occurred off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture on the principle island of Kyushu at 4:42 p.m. native time (3:42 a.m. ET), at a depth of about 18 miles, in response to the Japan Meteorological Company.
Three individuals have been reported injured, Japan’s Chief Cupboard Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi mentioned, though he added that there had been no blackouts or harm to the water or communications programs reported within the area. Police in Miyazaki Prefecture mentioned there had been 10 reviews of injury. Hayashi urged residents to avoid the shoreline.
Seismologists held an emergency assembly to investigate whether or not the quake had affected the close by Nankai Trough — the supply of previous devastating earthquakes. The meteorological company in the end issued what it known as a “mega earthquake warning,” assessing that the potential for a big quake was comparatively larger than standard however not that one would undoubtedly happen within the close to future.
It urged the nation’s residents to follow elevated vigilance for the subsequent week.
“We ask all residents to rigorously examine each new data issued by the federal government, reconfirm their day by day earthquake preparedness, and be able to evacuate instantly within the occasion of an earthquake,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed a information briefing.
Earlier, officers issued a tsunami advisory following Thursday morning’s quake, warning residents to right away depart coastal areas of Kochi and Miyazaki prefectures till the warning is lifted. Advisories are issued when the waves are usually not anticipated to exceed 1 meter (3.3 toes).
Tsunami waves of as much as 1.6 toes have been detected alongside components of Kyushu’s southern coast and the close by island of Shikoku a couple of half hour after the quake struck. Japanese broadcaster NHK mentioned Miyazaki Port had reported a surge of 20 inches.
That mentioned, a lot of the harm to date has been comparatively mild. Police in Miyazaki Prefecture mentioned there have been some reviews of landslides and a few visitors lights have stopped working. NHK mentioned some home windows have been damaged on the prefecture’s airport and that the runway had been briefly closed for checks.
In the meantime, in neighboring Kagoshima Prefecture, concrete partitions collapsed and a picket home was broken.
Of the individuals injured throughout the 2 prefectures, two are reported to be older girls, who have been taken to hospital after falling, whereas one other was a feminine manufacturing facility employee struck within the again by a falling object.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority mentioned all 12 nuclear reactors on Kyushu and Shikoku stay secure. Earthquakes in areas with nuclear energy crops have been a serious concern since an enormous 9.0-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami triggered the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe in March 2011.
Japan sits on the Pacific ‘Ring of Hearth’ — a line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean — and is likely one of the world’s most earthquake-prone international locations. A temblor there Jan. 1 in Japan’s north-central area of Noto left greater than 240 individuals useless.
Arata Yamamoto reported from Tokyo, and Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong.