The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a tsunami alert after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, prompting emergency warnings, disrupting electricity and transport services, and triggering a major response from national and local authorities.

The earthquake struck at about 4:27 p.m. local time and registered the maximum Shindo 7 intensity on Japan’s seismic scale in parts of Kumamoto, indicating extremely violent ground shaking.

Also read: NAFDAC seals three Ogun plants over illegal sachet alcohol

Authorities warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre could reach nearby coastal areas and urged residents to remain away from the shoreline until the advisory was lifted.

The Japan Issues Tsunami Alert response came as emergency teams began assessing damage across the affected region.

Around 40,000 to 45,000 households lost electricity, while bullet train services, local rail operations and flights at Kumamoto Airport were temporarily suspended for safety inspections.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on residents to prioritise their safety and follow official evacuation guidance as authorities monitored the risk of aftershocks.

“Please stay away from the coast and remain alert,” Prime Minister Takaichi said while emergency agencies coordinated rescue and assessment efforts.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been detected at nearby nuclear facilities, while regional utility operators confirmed that reactors in the affected area continued operating normally despite widespread power outages.

The earthquake also prompted the evacuation of workers from major industrial facilities, including plants operated by global manufacturers, as engineers inspected buildings and production lines for possible damage.

More than 150,000 people were directed to evacuation centres as emergency services responded to reports of structural damage, fires and injuries in some communities.

Television broadcaster NHK captured the intensity of the event during a live report from Kumamoto, where a journalist described continuing tremors.

“When the quake struck, the shaking was so big that I could not stand up,” the reporter said during the live broadcast.

The latest earthquake revived memories of the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, when two major tremors measuring 6.5 and 7.3 claimed more than 270 lives and left thousands injured.

Japan also continues to live with the legacy of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, which killed or left missing about 18,500 people and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Japan sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most active seismic zones, and experiences hundreds of earthquakes each year.

Also read: NAFDAC seals three Ogun plants over illegal sachet alcohol

Although most are minor, authorities have warned that strong aftershocks remain possible over the coming days and urged residents to remain vigilant as damage assessments continue.