M5.1 quake jolts southwestern Japan islands, no tsunami alert issued
The 6:33 p.m. temblor measured a lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 on Akuseki Island, which is part of the island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture. There have been no reports of damage so far, according to the prefectural government and police.
The quake occurred west of Akuseki Island at a depth of 30 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The agency has been urging residents to stay alert, as the Tokara island chain and its vicinity have experienced over 670 earthquakes with a seismic intensity scale of 1 or higher between June 21 and 7:00 p.m. Monday.
The district meteorological observatory monitoring the area said the frequency of quakes has fluctuated and activity has continued, adding that several strong quakes have struck Akuseki Island throughout Monday afternoon.
Junichi Nakajima, professor at Institute of Science Tokyo, said, "There is a possibility of an earthquake similar to the magnitude 6.1 that hit in 2021, or an even larger one." He warned of a tsunami if a temblor nears magnitude 7.
Yoshiro Tobo, principal of an elementary and junior high school with 14 students on the island, said he had confirmed everyone was safe but added he felt "fearful" about the possibility of quakes occurring at night.
About 90 people live on Akuseki Island, according to the local government.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NHK
2 days ago
- NHK
Sweltering weather expected in rain-hit areas in western Japan
The Japan Meteorological Agency says temperatures are expected to rise on Thursday, especially in western Japan, including areas hit by recent heavy rain. The agency forecasts clear skies will prevail over the region, pushing up temperatures to 37 degrees in Saga, Hita in Oita Prefecture, Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture and Osaka, among other cities. Cities that can expect a daytime high of 36 degrees include Kumamoto, Yamaguchi and Kyoto. A high of 35 is forecast in cities including Kochi and Nagoya. Heatstroke alerts are in effect for 24 prefectures, including Okinawa, Kumamoto and Aichi. People are advised to take preventive measures against heatstroke, such as using air conditioners properly and taking fluids and salt. Those who will be engaged in cleanup or recovery work in rain-hit areas are advised to rest regularly and check in with other people to see if anyone is feeling unwell. Atmospheric conditions in western and eastern Japan could become unstable in the afternoon due to higher temperatures and other factors, causing rain clouds to develop in some places. The recent downpours have loosened the ground, and riverbanks and revetments have been damaged in some areas. More rain could raise the risk of landslides, flooding and other disasters. People are advised to take precautions against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers.
NHK
2 days ago
- NHK
Heavy rain raises landslide risk in Kyushu and other areas of Japan
Record-breaking rain has saturated and loosened the ground in Japan's Kyushu region and other areas, mainly in the western part of the country. People are being urged to take precautions against landslides. The Japan Meteorological Agency says areas such as the city of Tamana in Kumamoto Prefecture, where a heavy rain emergency warning was issued on Monday, received about twice as much rain in just 12 hours as the average for the whole of August. Landslide warnings are still in effect for parts of Ishikawa Prefecture. Forecasters say the front that brought the heavy rain is moving north near western Japan and is weakening. But they say the ground is loose in northern Kyushu and Ishikawa Prefecture, where it is still raining heavily. Riverbanks and revetments have been damaged in some areas. Officials say even small amounts of rain could raise the risk of landslides, flooding and other disasters. They are urging people to remain alert for landslides, flooding and swollen rivers. Extremely hot weather is expected on Wednesday in many of the rain-hit areas, including Kumamoto Prefecture. Officials are urging people to take precautions against heatstroke. A daytime high of 37 degrees Celsius is forecast in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, and 36 degrees in the cities of Hitoyoshi and Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture, the cities of Kurume and Iizuka in Fukuoka Prefecture, and Yamaguchi in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Heatstroke alerts are in effect for 16 prefectures from Mie to Okinawa, including Kumamoto and Kagoshima. People are advised to take frequent breaks during clean up and restoration work, and to look out for each other.
The Mainichi
3 days ago
- The Mainichi
Easy Japanese news in translation: Rain prayer ceremony held at shrine in Yamagata Prefecture
A ceremony praying for rain was held on August 2 at Tamanoike Shrine in the city of Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, where rice production is thriving. It was the first such ceremony in 82 years. People reportedly requested the ceremony because "it's a problem if there's no water in the rice fields during the important time when rice ears emerge." In July, Sakata received only 3 millimeters of rain, the second-lowest since records began being kept in 1937. Japanese original Easy Japanese news is taken from the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun, a newspaper for children. This is perfect material for anyone studying Japanese who has learned hiragana and katakana. We encourage beginners to read the article in English followed by Japanese, or vice versa, to test their comprehension. A fresh set will be published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4 p.m., Japan time. Click/tap here for past installments. Intermediate learners who do not need English assistance can directly access the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun site here. Furigana (hiragana) is added to all kanji in the text.
