An earthquake struck southwest Japan on Monday. Measuring 6.8, according to the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS), it caused two small tsunamis, but these did not cause damage, according to initial findings.
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The earthquake occurred around 9:19 p.m. local time (1:19 p.m. BST) at a depth of 36 km some 18 km off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture in the Kyushu region, according to the USGS.
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“Do not approach coastal areas”
Japan's weather agency warned of possible one-meter waves and asked people to stay away from coastal areas. “The tsunami can strike several times. Please do not enter the sea or approach coastal areas,” the agency said on X.
Some 1,500 tremors per year
Situated at the convergence of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. The archipelago of 125 million inhabitants experiences some 1,500 tremors per year and 18% of the earthquakes that occur in the world.
The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan was the magnitude 9 earthquake on March 11, 2011 off its northeastern coast, which triggered a tidal wave that left around 20,000 people dead or missing. This tsunami also caused the Fukushima nuclear accident, the most serious in the world since Chernobyl in 1986.
