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Footage from inside the mall showed clothes hanging in shops swaying violently. Cars were seen shaking on the roads as the earthquake struck, adding to the panic and fear among residents.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck southern Japan on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The local meteorological agency has issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas. Several videos have emerged showing the impact of the quake across the region. Footage from inside malls showed clothes hanging in shops swaying violently. Cars were seen shaking on the roads as the tremor struck, adding to the panic and fear among residents.
It was epicentered at a depth of about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) off the east coast of Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu. The strongest tremors were felt in Nichinan city and surrounding areas in Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu island. The agency said a tsunami wave up to 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) high hit parts of Kyushu’s southern coast and nearby Shikoku island about half an hour after the quake struck. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said officials were assessing the extent of damage from the quake, though there was no immediate information available.
Japan’s NHK television said there were reports of broken windows at Miyazaki airport, near the epicenter. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said all 12 nuclear reactors on Kyushu and Shikoku were safe, of which three were currently operating. Earthquakes have been a major concern in regions with nuclear power plants since the Fukushima nuclear disaster following a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The January 1 quake struck Japan’s north-central region of Noto, killing more than 240 people.
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