7.1-magnitude quake hits Japan, raising fresh fears of imminent mega-quake

Support truly independent journalismFind out moreClose

Our mission is to provide unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Whether it's $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us to provide journalism without an agenda.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck southwestern Japan on Thursday, triggering tsunami warnings for several of the country's western islands and causing mostly minor injuries.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake struck off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture at 4:42 p.m. local time (7:42 a.m. GMT), at a depth of about 18 miles (29 kilometers).

Officials said nine people were injured on the island of Kyushu, but most sustained minor injuries. No major damage was reported, and tsunami warnings were later lifted.

Earlier, Japan's seismologists said the quake measured 6.9 on the Richter scale, before it was revised to 7.1. Officials issued a tsunami warning and asked residents in the coastal prefectures of Kochi and Miyazaki to evacuate their homes as a precaution until the warning was lifted.

But the quake prompted seismologists to hold an emergency meeting in which they reassessed and raised the risk level of major earthquakes associated with the Nankai Trough area in eastern southern Japan.

Japan's Meteorological Agency on Thursday issued its first-ever warning of a major earthquake along the country's Pacific coast, following a quake that struck Kyushu.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has cancelled plans to visit Central Asia for summits with regional leaders after meteorologists said the risk of a major earthquake on the Pacific coast was higher than usual, public broadcaster NHK said.

Although the warning does not indicate such an earthquake will definitely occur, Japan plans to cancel Kishida's trip in order to prepare for any emergency, but hopes to hold some meetings online instead, NHK added.

The visit to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia was originally scheduled to run from Friday to Monday. Mr. Kishida was scheduled to travel to Kazakhstan on Friday, followed by a visit to Uzbekistan before heading to Mongolia for a summit on Monday.

Japan's Meteorological Agency has warned of the possibility of a major earthquake in the Nankai region, an ocean trench that runs along Japan's Pacific coast, where previous quakes have triggered massive tsunamis.

Japan estimates the chance of a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake hitting the basin in the next 30 years at 70 to 80 percent, according to the infrastructure ministry.

Advisories are issued instead of warnings when waves are not expected to exceed 1 metre (3.3 feet) high, meaning they are relatively minor but still pose a danger.

Unconfirmed videos on social media showed cars and small structures shaking, and several shops damaged.

The map shows the areas under tsunami warning as well as the epicenter marked with an X (Japan Meteorological Agency)

Japan's public broadcaster NHK said Miyazaki Port recorded waves of 20 inches, the highest so far.

The Miyazaki police chief told the broadcaster they were checking whether there was any structural damage to the buildings, but so far no damage has been reported.

AFP quoted a Japanese government statement as saying that it had formed a special task force to respond to the two quakes. There were no immediate signs of serious damage.

Japan, one of the world's most tectonically active countries, has strict building standards aimed at ensuring that structures can withstand even the strongest earthquakes.

The country records more earthquakes, about 1,500 per year, than any other country.

In 2011, Japan recorded its largest earthquake in history, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale. The quake was centered just off its northeastern coast and generated a massive tsunami that left an estimated 18,500 people dead or missing.

The disaster also caused three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant to melt down, causing Japan's worst disaster since World War II and the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Additional reports by agencies

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos