Japan lifts tsunami warning after 6.6 magnitude earthquake

At around 9:19 pm local time on Sunday, an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Japan’s earthquake magnitude ranges from 0 to 7, with earthquake intensity below magnitude 5. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 36 kilometers in the Hyuga Nada. A tsunami warning was immediately issued for the coasts of Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures. Waves of approximately 20 cm were observed in the former, and waves of approximately 10 cm were observed in the latter. The warning was canceled just before midnight.

Miyazaki earthquake caused no major damage

No major damage has been reported, and Kyushu Electric Power confirmed there were no signs of anything unusual at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant or the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant. Shikoku Electric Power said the same thing about its Iraqi nuclear power plant. Various train services were suspended and in Kochi, some residents were advised to evacuate as a precautionary measure. NHK television reported that a man fell down the stairs and suffered minor injuries. Authorities warned that aftershocks could still occur, so residents should stay in safe places.

Nankai Trough experts say no special precautions are needed

Experts from the Japan Meteorological Agency met on Monday night to discuss possible links between the earthquake in Miyazaki and a megaquake expected to hit the Nankai Trough. They concluded that no special precautions were needed. Nankai Trough earthquakes are expected to occur along the plate boundary between Suruga Bay in Shizuoka Prefecture and Hyuga Nada in Miyazaki Prefecture. According to the government’s earthquake research committee, there is a 70 to 80 percent chance of a magnitude 8 to 9 earthquake occurring there within the next three decades. In the worst-case scenario, more than 230,000 lives could be claimed.

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