On August 8, Japan issued a tsunami warning for several areas on the southern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku after the country experienced two strong earthquakes measuring 6.9 and 7.1 on the Richter scale.
Tourists at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, Western Japan, during the earthquake warning issued on August 8. (Photo: Kyodo News).
Tsunami waves appeared along the extensive coastline in southern Japan following the two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.9 and 7.1 that occurred on the afternoon of August 8, according to the New York Times.
The public broadcaster NHK reported that the first waves hit the Miyazaki coastline, with more waves expected to follow.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas on the southern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. NHK stated that Miyazaki, Kochi, and other neighboring provinces could experience tsunami waves reaching up to 1 meter in height.
These tsunami waves could overturn small boats. Residents are advised to evacuate coastal areas.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the earthquake’s epicenter was offshore the eastern coast of Kyushu. (Photo: Japan Meteorological Agency).
The first earthquake occurred about 30 kilometers off the Miyazaki coast on Kyushu Island, at a depth of 33 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A stronger earthquake measuring 7.1 at a depth of 25 kilometers followed less than a minute later.
Meanwhile, as reported by the Japan Times, the earthquake struck at 4:43 PM local time. The epicenter was located in Hyuganada Sea off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, at a depth of 30 kilometers.
NHK reported that no damage had been recorded inside the offices of agencies in Miyazaki, but the shaking made it difficult for people to stand on the second floor. The police chief in Nichinan city on Kyushu stated that no buildings had collapsed in the area. Kyushu Electric Power Company announced that nuclear power plants were operating normally.
The Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture also reported no unusual signs and was functioning normally.
There were some reports of broken windows at Miyazaki Airport, near the earthquake’s epicenter.
Channel NewsAsia cited a statement saying that the Japanese government had established a task force to respond to the earthquake.
Located on the “Ring of Fire” of the Pacific, Japan is one of the countries most frequently affected by earthquakes globally. Previously, on January 1, a strong earthquake measuring 7.4 in central Japan also triggered a tsunami warning and resulted in over 240 fatalities.
