Japan tsunami alert issued after 7.1 quake hits Kumamoto
Japan’s weather agency said a 7.1 earthquake struck southern Japan, prompting a one-meter tsunami alert for the region.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
2 min read
A Japan tsunami alert was issued Tuesday after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Reuters reported that the alert covered a possible tsunami of one meter, or about one yard. The news service said the earthquake hit Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake reached level seven on Japan’s Shindo scale, the highest reading available on that system. That made the tremor a top-level event under the country’s own earthquake measurement scale.
What was the Japan tsunami alert?
The alert was for a tsunami of one meter, according to Reuters. No further details about the alert area or timing were included in the reports cited by the agency and Reuters.
A one-meter tsunami can still pose danger near shorelines, ports and low-lying coastal areas, depending on local conditions. Authorities issue alerts so people in affected areas can respond to official instructions quickly.
Where did the earthquake hit?
Reuters said the quake struck Kumamoto prefecture in southern Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency placed the earthquake at magnitude 7.1.
Kumamoto is in the southern part of the Japanese archipelago, a region where earthquake monitoring is closely watched because Japan sits in one of the world’s most active seismic zones. The reports did not give further location detail beyond the prefecture.
What does Shindo 7 mean?
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the tremor measured seven on the Shindo scale. The agency described seven as the highest possible level on that Japanese scale.
The magnitude figure and the Shindo reading are separate ways of describing an earthquake. In this case, officials gave both: a 7.1 magnitude and a top-level Shindo reading.
Is there a tsunami threat to Hawaii or American Samoa?
There was no tsunami threat to Hawaii or American Samoa, according to the Honolulu-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
That assessment applied to those Pacific locations, while Japan’s alert concerned the quake’s local tsunami risk. Officials in Japan and the Pacific region issued separate assessments because tsunami danger can vary widely by distance and coastline.
The reports did not include casualty figures, damage assessments or details on whether transportation, power or other services were affected. The confirmed information as of the initial reports was the quake’s magnitude, its Kumamoto location, Japan’s tsunami alert and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center’s statement on Hawaii and American Samoa.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.