A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck southern Japan on July 28, 2026, leading to a tsunami warning for coastal areas. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the epicenter was located off the coast of Kyushu, Japan's southern main island, at a depth of 10 kilometers below the sea surface.
Tsunami warning and expected wave heights
Authorities have issued a tsunami warning, forecasting waves of up to one meter (3.28 feet). Residents in coastal regions have been advised to move to higher ground and follow official evacuation instructions. Broadcaster NHK indicated that waves of that magnitude may have already been recorded.
Emergency warnings for multiple prefectures
The Japanese government activated emergency earthquake warnings for several prefectures on Kyushu, including Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki. The quake reached the highest level on Japan's seismic intensity scale in some areas, according to reports.
No immediate reports of casualties or major damage have been released, but authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
