TOKYO (AP) — Japan issued a tsunami advisory on Monday following a magnitude 6.6 earthquake that struck the southwest part of the country. The public was warned to stay away from coastal areas, but these warnings were later lifted. Initially estimated at a magnitude of 6.9, the earthquake’s strength was later revised downward. An official initially stated the magnitude as 6.7 to reporters, but the Japan Meteorological Agency subsequently released a statement revising the magnitude to 6.6.
There have been no immediate reports of damage. As a precautionary measure, residents in some coastal areas were advised to evacuate. In Kyushu, one man sustained minor injuries after falling down a flight of stairs, according to NHK TV. Train services were halted at Miyazaki Station, leaving passengers stranded.
NHK reported that a tsunami, reaching heights of up to 1 meter (3.2 feet), hit the shore within 30 minutes of the earthquake. At Miyazaki Port, water levels were recorded at 20 centimeters (0.7 feet) high.
Tsunami advisories were issued for Miyazaki Prefecture, the epicenter of the quake, in Kyushu, as well as for neighboring Kochi Prefecture on Shikoku Island. These advisories were issued shortly after the earthquake struck at 9:19 p.m. and were rescinded shortly before midnight.
People were advised to steer clear of bodies of water, including rivers. Shigeki Aoki, an official from the agency, warned of potential landslides and falling objects within homes. He also cautioned that aftershocks could occur, especially over the next few days.
The earthquake, with a depth of 36 kilometers (22 miles), was felt across a wide area in Kyushu, Japan’s southwestern main island, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Initially, the agency reported the depth as 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
Television footage from NHK showed normal traffic flow and well-illuminated streets, suggesting that electricity was still operational. No abnormalities were reported at the monitoring stations for nuclear plants in the region.
Due to Japan’s location along the “Ring of Fire,” an area characterized by volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin, the country is frequently susceptible to earthquakes.
Experts at the meteorological agency convened late Monday to assess the potential connection between the recent earthquake and the Nankai Trough quakes. However, they determined that no extraordinary measures were necessary at that time. The Nankai Trough refers to a broad region believed to be at risk of major earthquakes at regular intervals.
A Nankai Trough earthquake off Shikoku in 1946 resulted in the loss of more than 1,300 lives. Last August, the region experienced a 7.1 magnitude quake.
