Strong earthquake hits southern Japan: 7.1 magnitude, tsunami warning issued!

KUMAMOTO - A strong earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan on Tuesday. 

Earthquake which hit Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture has left many people trapped after a shopping mall partially collapsed, public broadcaster NHK reports. Several are also reportedly unaccounted for at a paper factory, a highway bridge has buckled, and at least one other building to collapse.

The earthquake knocked out power to thousands of homes and disrupted train services, foreign media reported.

The Japanese government has issued an emergency alert for the prefectures of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki on the southern island of Kyushu. The Japan Meteorological Agency said tsunami waves of up to one meter were possible after the earthquake. Japanese Prime Minister Sane Takaichi urged people to stay away from coastal areas. She said a special task force had been formed to assess the damage and coordinate rescue efforts. She said people should be vigilant as strong aftershocks are possible and that people's lives are the priority.

The quake caused power outages in about 40,000 homes in Kyushu Electric Power's area, the company said. Rail services, including bullet trains, were suspended, railway company JR Kyushu said. Meanwhile, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no reports of any unusual activity at nuclear plants in the region. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency also said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities or infrastructure.

A powerful earthquake 10 years ago killed 275 people and injured 2,739 in Kumamoto, Japan, one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. Major chipmakers operating in the region, including TSMC and Sony, are monitoring the situation.