A powerful earthquake struck Kyushu Island in southwestern Japan today, prompting a tsunami warning.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake measured 6.9 in magnitude.
The JMA issued the tsunami warning for the Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures. Earlier, the agency’s preliminary report recorded the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.4. The tremor registered a level 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, which ranges from 0 to 7.
The USGS warned of the potential for waves as high as one metre. The earthquake occurred at approximately 9:19 PM local time (2:19 PM Cyprus time), according to the agency.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially estimated the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.6. The seismic event’s focal depth was calculated at 37 kilometres, according to the EMSC.
🇯🇵 6.9 earthquake rocks Kyushu, Japan; no tsunami threat expected pic.twitter.com/IE5cMSJaeC
— Wave News Network (@wavenewsnet) January 13, 2025
Also read: Fatalities from LA wildfires rise to 24 as gale-force winds loom
