A strong earthquake measuring 6.8 in magnitude hit southwest Japan on Tuesday afternoon, according to Japan’s state broadcaster. The quake resulted in injuries and fires, notably around its epicenter.
The earthquake occurred at 4:27 p.m. local time, prompting a tsunami warning from the U.S. National Weather Service that was subsequently lifted. The United States Geological Survey identified the epicenter near Uto, a coastal city in Kumamoto Prefecture. Initially reported as a 7.1 magnitude, the earthquake’s strength was later revised.
The public broadcaster NHK reported several injuries and fires throughout Kumamoto. Their footage displayed intense shaking in urban areas and smoke from buildings.
At 4:30 p.m. Japan time, a tsunami warning was issued by the Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu. However, they confirmed no threats for Hawaii, the Pacific islands, or the West Coast. By 5:14 p.m. local time, the tsunami threat had subsided.
Kumamoto experienced a devastating earthquake sequence a decade ago, resulting in 278 deaths across the prefecture and adjacent regions.
On the same day, the Japan Meteorological Agency had issued a tsunami advisory for coastal areas around the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas. They indicated a potential quick lifting of this warning. The agency cautioned that similar scale earthquakes might occur in the upcoming days.
For Kumamoto residents, this recent tremor revives distressing memories from the earthquakes ten years prior.
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