A strong earthquake has struck Southern Japan today. The Japan Meteorological Agency has said that the magnitude 7.1 quake occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture this afternoon.
The agency has issued a tsunami advisory for the coasts of the Ariake Sea and the Yatsushiro Sea.
The operator of the Genkai Nuclear Power Station in Saga Prefecture and the Sendai Nuclear Power Station in Kagoshima Prefecture said, it is working to confirm whether there are any abnormalities at either facility. The railway services have been suspended on all of its trains, including the Kyushu Shinkansen, after the quake.
The agency said the tsunami advisory was for the nearby Ariake bay on the western coasts of Kumamoto, about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, urged residents to avoid the coastline where a tsunami of up to 1 meter (3 feet) was predicted. She said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed.