7.1-magnitude earthquake jolts Japan's Kyushu, injuries reported; tsunami warning issued

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan's southern island of Kyushu on July 28, injuring several people and causing at least one building to collapse, according to Japanese authorities.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres beneath the seabed. A tsunami warning was issued, with waves of up to one metre expected along parts of the coast, prompting authorities to urge residents in vulnerable areas to move to higher ground.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said injuries had been reported and instructed officials to assess the damage swiftly while prioritising rescue and emergency response efforts.

Emergency earthquake warnings were issued for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki prefectures. Authorities also confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at nearby nuclear power plants following the earthquake.

Japan, located on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent earthquakes due to the convergence of four major tectonic plates. The country continues to maintain high disaster preparedness following the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.