AN earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 and depth of 10km struck Japan's Kumamoto prefecture today, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
A tsunami warning for a wave measuring 1m was issued after the earthquake, the JMA said.
The tremor at 4.27 pm (3.27 pm) on the island of Kyushu was also measured at the highest possible level, seven on Japan's own Shindo scale of shaking, the agency said.
Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority confirmed that no unusual conditions were detected at the nuclear power plant following the incident.
Utility company Kyushu Electric Power said the power outage affected about 45,000 homes and businesses in Kumamoto prefecture.
According to the company, the three nuclear reactors currently operating in the prefecture continued to operate normally.
Seismology authorities from Geoscience Australia and the United States Geological Survey reported the initial quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres below the sea's surface.
The Japanese government also issued emergency earthquake warnings for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki prefectures, all on Japan's southern Kyushu island.
Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. – July 28, 2026
