Travelers watch the news reports of a 7.1 earthquake that struck Japan's Kumamoto prefecture at Haneda Airport Terminal 1 following a preliminary magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Japan's Kumamoto prefecture, halting regional and connecting flight services in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday. EPA-Yonhap
An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing damage and injuries, officials said. A tsunami advisory was temporarily issued but was lifted within two hours, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The agency said the tsunami advisory covered the nearby Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the western coasts of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, but revised it later to 6.8.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed.
