A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale struck the Kyushu region of southwestern Japan on Monday, prompting a tsunami warning. The tremor, which originated off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture in the Hyuga-Nada Sea, occurred with significant intensity but so far, no reports of damage or injuries have emerged.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the earthquake had an intensity level of 5 on the Japanese scale, which measures the severity of shaking in affected areas. The agency also issued a tsunami advisory for the coastal regions of Miyazaki and Kōchi prefectures as a precautionary measure.
This earthquake follows similar seismic events in August of the previous year, when two powerful quakes, measuring 6.9 and 7.1 in magnitude, rocked the southwestern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. In both instances, tsunami warnings were also issued, though no significant damage or casualties were reported.
Japan’s location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates converge, makes it particularly susceptible to frequent seismic activity. As a result, the country maintains rigorous earthquake preparedness protocols.