A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s Kyushu island in the southwestern part of the country on Tuesday, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency, with reports of at least 50 injuries along with collapsed buildings, damaged roads, fires and power outages.
It was the most intense quake to rock the country since 2024 according to Japan’s seismic intensity scale, which categorizes quakes based on the intensity of their shaking. On that scale, it registered as a 7 — the highest level.
The quake’s epicenter was near Uto, just south of the city of Kumamoto, which is home to around 730,000 people. Severe shaking was reported in this area.
An explosion was reported at a shopping mall in Kumamoto, with fire officials saying many people could be trapped inside following the collapse of its second floor.
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, evacuated its employees from its Kumamoto prefecture factory and was working to confirm the safety of its workers and of the facility, according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.
In a news conference, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) said people should be prepared for additional powerful quakes over the next two to three days. The JMA initially issued a tsunami advisory following the quake but it has since been lifted.
The quake had a shallow depth of 6.2 miles, according to the USGS. That can cause stronger shaking because its seismic waves have less distance to travel before reaching the surface than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude. The result is more intense ground motion and often greater damage near the epicenter.
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. It’s located at the intersection of four major tectonic plates, and around 1,500 earthquakes occur in the country each year.
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