The Kyushu region appeared to have escaped major damage after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture on Thursday, causing a small number of injuries and triggering a first-ever alert over the risk of a megaquake along the Nankai Trough.
The quake left at least 16 people injured, with two of those severely hurt, according to figures from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency as of 2 p.m. Friday. Three residential buildings, all located in Kagoshima Prefecture, suffered damage, with one totally collapsed, the agency said.
The quake, which registered a lower 6 on the seven-point Japanese seismic intensity scale, occurred at 4:43 p.m. at a depth of 30 kilometers, with its epicenter in the Hyuganada sea off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture. The Meteorological Agency initially issued a tsunami advisory for parts of Kyushu and Shikoku, but only small waves were recorded, and the alert was lifted by 10 p.m.
Despite the moderate damage, the jolt prompted fears of more disasters to come after the weather agency issued its first-ever alert on a possible megaquake along the Nankai Trough The alert, which does not meant a quake will necessarily strike, is is expected to be in place for at least a week pending further investigation.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday that the government is closely monitoring the situation in cooperation with local authorities, urging the public to continue their day-to-day activities while exercising caution against disinformation.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida canceled his trip to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia on Friday to prioritize the government’s disaster response measures, soon after he attended the ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki in the morning.
Utilities in Kyushu and Shokoku reported no impact to their nuclear plants in the region. Small leaks from 37 petroleum tanks were reported at hazardous materials facilities in the towns of Higashikushira and Kimotsuki in Kagoshima Prefecture, but no further leakage is expected, according to the FDMA.
Central Japan Railway announced the suspension of some of its express trains in response to the Nankai megaquake alert. In addition, the Tokaido Shinkansen line will operate at reduced speed between Mishima and Mikawa-Anjo stations, resulting in at least 10-minute delays while the alert is in effect. East Japan Railway took similar measures on portions of its Tokaido, Ito and Chuo lines.