Japan: Prime Minister says there are injuries and collapsed buildings following a 7.1-magnitude earthquake
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the earthquake reached the highest level (7) on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, a standard used in Japan to measure the intensity with which earthquakes are felt. A tsunami warning was issued but was lifted hours later.
Several police officers order an evacuation of a beach in Japan in a file photo
An intense 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake, which occurred at 4:27 p.m. (local time) on the island of Kyushu, also reached the highest possible level—seven—on Japan's Shindo seismic intensity scale, according to the agency, and has caused injuries, fires, and collapsed buildings, according to the country's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi.
"We are still assessing the extent of injuries and property damage, but I have been informed that there have already been several injuries. Power outages and fires are happening in some areas, and roads and bridges have been damaged and buildings collapsed."
Initially, the Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning, stating that waves could reach up to three feet (one meter) and arrive around 5:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. GMT), according to the agency. After the predicted time had passed, the warning was lifted.
'Ring of fire'
Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries, sitting on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences hundreds of jolts every year and accounts for about 18 percent of the world's earthquakes.
The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and the depth below the Earth's surface at which they strike.
Fukushima
It is haunted by the memory of a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that killed or left missing around 18,500 people and destroyed the Fukushima nuclear plant.
On April 20 this year, a tremor measuring 7.7 hit the country's north, injuring at least 10 people and shaking large buildings in Tokyo.
This prompted authorities to issue a special advisory warning of an increased risk of earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 or stronger. The advisory was lifted after a week.
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