Magnitude 7 earthquake hits Japan's Kumamoto region, tsunami advisory issued

Japan's Cabinet Office Disaster Management Division said the earthquake registered the highest seismic intensity of 7 in the Kumamoto region and urged residents to remain calm while following information issued by national and local authorities.

The Cabinet Office said in a post on X, "An earthquake occurred in the Kumamoto region of Kumamoto Prefecture, registering a maximum seismic intensity of 7. Residents in areas where the shaking was strong, in addition to information from the national government and local authorities, please check reliable sources such as television, radio, and the internet, and act calmly."

https://x.com/CAO_BOUSAI/status/2082007663408537916

Japan's Cabinet Office also issued a tsunami advisory for the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea following the earthquake.

"[Tsunami Advisory] 16:29 JST on 28 Jul 2026, A tsunami advisory has been issued for Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea. Leave coastal areas immediately and stay away until the advisory is lifted," it said.

https://x.com/CAO_BOUSAI/status/2082006169271644541

According to National Center for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at 12:57:22 IST with its epicentre located at latitude 32.643N and longitude 130.985E at a depth of 70 kilometres.

https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/2082010520232878381

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 6.5, On: 28/07/2026 12:57:22 IST, Lat: 32.643 N, Long: 130.985 E, Depth: 70 Km, Location: Japan."

According to The Japan Times, a strong 6 on the Shindo scale was observed in the cities of Yatsushiro, Uto and the towns of Mashiki and Misato, as well as the city of Kumamoto's Minami Ward.

Electricity supply was disrupted to about 45,600 households in Kumamoto Prefecture following the quake, according to Kyushu Electric.

The earthquake struck just over a decade after the devastating April 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which killed 278 people and injured around 2,800 others. The disaster caused extensive damage across the prefecture, including severe structural damage to the historic Kumamoto Castle, where restoration work is expected to continue until 2052. (ANI)