According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a powerful earthquake has struck southwestern Japan. Japanese officials issued shortly after a 6.9 magnitude tremor at 9:19 PM local time on Monday, indicating that waves reaching heights of up to one meter may be anticipated.
Tsunami warnings have been declared for Miyazaki Prefecture, the epicenter of the quake, located on the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as for the adjacent Kochi Prefecture.
The full extent of the damage caused by the earthquake was not immediately ascertainable. There is also no information available on possible deaths of injuries caused by the quake.
Japan often experiences earthquakes due to its position along the “Ring of Fire,” a region characterized by an arc of volcanoes and fault lines within the Pacific Basin.