7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Japan, Tsunami Advisory Issued

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's Kyushu island on Tuesday afternoon, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami advisory and activate emergency response measures as officials assessed the impact in one of the world's most seismically active regions. While there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage, residents were urged to remain vigilant amid the possibility of strong aftershocks.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake struck at 4:29 pm local time at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles) beneath the seabed. The epicentre was located in western Kumamoto Prefecture, about 900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. The shallow depth intensified ground shaking across the region, prompting authorities to inspect public infrastructure and monitor the situation closely.

The JMA immediately issued a tsunami advisory for nearby coastal areas as a precaution. However, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat beyond local coastlines, and the advisory was later lifted after further assessments confirmed that no significant tsunami had formed. Emergency officials nonetheless advised residents to avoid coastal areas until the alert was withdrawn.

The quake has revived memories of the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, which claimed more than 270 lives, triggered widespread landslides, severely damaged the historic Kumamoto Castle, and displaced thousands of people. Since then, Japan has further strengthened its disaster preparedness and emergency response systems.

Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian and North American tectonic plates converge, Japan experiences around 2,000 felt earthquakes each year, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes measuring magnitude 6.0 or higher.

The country operates one of the world's most advanced Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems, alongside stringent earthquake-resistant building standards, nationwide disaster drills and well-developed tsunami evacuation networks. Authorities have warned that aftershocks could continue over the coming days and urged residents to follow official advisories while damage assessments remain underway.