Tsunami threat issued for Japan after 6.9 earthquake rocks Kyushu

The threat of a tsunami is hanging over Japan after an earthquake of 6.9 magnitude rocked the coast today.

Miyazaki prefecture, where the temblor was centered, in the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as the nearby Kochi prefecture, are in the danger zone.

A wave of about one meter is expected in the coming hours, local media reported.

Residents in the coastal city in Kochi were urged to evacuate immediately as a precautionary measure.

At first, the prime minister’s office issued a warning, but it has since been lifted and changed to an advisory.

A 20-centimetre tsunami was later recorded reaching Miyazaki city, which has a population of roughly 400,000 people.

Fears arose about the two nuclear power plants in Sendai and Ikata, which are nearest to the earthquake.

But so far no abnormalities have been reported, TV channel NHK reported citing Shikoku Electric Power.

The earthquake occurred at around 9.19 p.m. local time, with the epicentre determined as offshore, at a depth of about 19 miles, Japanese officials said.

The extent of damage to the Japanese coast was not immediately clear, but authorities are monitoring the situation.

Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the ‘Ring of Fire,’ an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

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