Strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes southern Japan; tsunami alert issued

A strong earthquake hit southern Japan on Tuesday, registering a magnitude of 7.1 according to the Japan Meteorological Agency and 6.8 according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was centered near the city of Kumamoto, about 600 miles south of Tokyo.

A tsunami alert was issued for waves of about one yard in height, but it was later lifted. There were no reports of serious damage, casualties or abnormalities at nuclear power plants in the region.

The temblor measured at the highest possible level of seven on Japan's own Shindo scale, the agency said.

There was no tsunami threat reported to Hawaii or American Samoa, according to the Honolulu-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier urged residents in a post on X to avoid coastlines in the region due to the risk of possible tsunami waves, but the Japan Meteorological Agency later lifted its alert.

Takaichi said the government had established a task force to assess possible damage and prepare for any required rescue operations.

"We are putting people's lives as the top priority," Takaichi said, urging residents in the impact area to use caution in light of possible strong aftershocks.

Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said it had received no immediate reports of damage to major public facilities or infrastructure in the region, though assessments were still underway.

High-speed Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu were suspended temporarily for safety checks, as they typically are after a quake.