7.1 magnitude earthquake shakes Japan, triggers tsunami alert

A strong earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck Japan’s southwestern Miyazaki province on Thursday, triggering a tsunami alert and injuring at least three people, Anadolu Agency reported today.

Initially reported as a 6.9 magnitude by the US Geological Survey, the quake occurred at around 0742 GMT at a depth of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles). Local authorities issued a tsunami advisory for several provinces, including Kochi and Oita, but later lifted it for four areas, maintaining it only for Miyazaki.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned of the possibility of more significant aftershocks, advising the public to avoid travel to affected regions. Miyazaki airport was shut down, and bullet train services were temporarily suspended, though nuclear plants in the vicinity reported no abnormalities. Footage showed vehicles swaying and traffic signals wobbling due to the quake’s intensity, but there were no immediate reports of severe casualties.