A powerful earthquake struck off the southern coast of Japan on Thursday, prompting a tsunami warning. People were urged to stay away from the coast, and there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency put the quake’s magnitude at 7.1 with its epicenter in the sea off the eastern coast of the country’s main southern island, 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.
The agency said tsunami waves of up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) had been detected along stretches of the southern coast of Kyushu and the nearby island of Shikoku about half an hour after the quake.
A team of seismologists 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.
Authorities were investigating whether there had been any damage or injuries, although none had been immediately reported, Chief Secretary to the government Yoshimasa Hayashi said. He urged residents in the affected area to stay away from the coast.
Operators of nuclear power plants in Kyushu and Shikoki said they were checking the facilities for any damage.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK said there were reports of broken windows at Miyazaki airport near the epicentre.
Japan is on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an 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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