7.1-Magnitude Earthquake in Kyushu, Japan Triggers Tsunami Warning
Claire Weston
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck near Kumamoto on Japan's Kyushu island, registering the maximum intensity of 7 on Japan's scale; the U.S. tsunami warning center issued an alert for coasts within 300 km of the epicenter, though no casualties have been reported so far.
How strong was this quake?
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake hit southwestern Japan's Kyushu island on Tuesday, July 28, with the epicenter near the coast of Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Japan's Meteorological Agency recorded a maximum seismic intensity of 7 — the highest level on Japan's scale. This means → ground shaking near the epicenter was at the absolute ceiling of the country's measurement system.
The epicenter sits roughly 900 km from Tokyo, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
How serious is the tsunami risk?
The U.S. National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu issued a tsunami warning shortly after 4:30 p.m. Japan time.
The alert covers coastal areas within 300 km of the epicenter, warning of hazardous tsunami waves.
The NWS confirmed that Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast are not under threat. In plain terms = the tsunami risk is confined to waters around Japan itself, not the wider Pacific.
What do we know about damage so far?
As of the initial reports, no casualties or property damage have been confirmed.
The situation remains developing; updated damage figures await further confirmation from Japanese authorities.
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