Kyushu earthquake injures dozens as Japan lifts tsunami advisory

Tokyo,UPDATED: Jul 28, 2026 17:16 IST

A strong earthquake struck Japan's south-western main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing injuries and damage, while briefly triggering a tsunami advisory that was lifted within two hours, officials said. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the shallow quake set off active seismic activity in the area, though no tsunami was observed from the inland earthquake.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed. Transport services were disrupted as Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu were suspended for safety checks, while the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed with "no prospect of resuming operations", according to a notice on the airport's website.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake measured 7.1 and shook Kumamoto on Kyushu, about 900 kilometres south-west of Tokyo. The US Geological Survey initially gave the magnitude as 7.1 but later revised it to 6.8. The tsunami advisory covered the nearby Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas along the western coasts of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures.

Takaichi later told reporters that there were reports of a number of injuries and damage to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as blackouts and fire, though details were still unclear. She warned people who were cooking to be careful with fire and with shards of broken glass.

Kyodo News said a hospital in Yatsushiro city accepted about 40 people with injuries from the quake. It also reported that a train derailed and fell on one side at Yatsushiro station, while stone walls at Kumamoto Castle were damaged.

Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities and infrastructure, though authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage. Local fire departments received many emergency calls reporting fires and damage to homes.

"We are putting people's lives as the top priority," Takaichi said, urging residents in the strongly shaken areas to remain cautious because of possible aftershocks. Shinji Kiyomoto, the weather agency's earthquake and tsunami countermeasures planning officer, told a news conference that residents should be especially careful over the next two to three days.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear power plants. The Defence Ministry said it had dispatched aircraft to the area to assess the situation.

The latest quake prompted a wide official response as authorities continued to assess injuries and damage across Kyushu. Kumamoto was hit by a deadly earthquake in 2016 that left more than 50 people dead, 1,800 injured and tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

With PTI Inputs

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