TOKYO: Miyazaki Prefecture on the southeast coast of Kyushu Island in southwest Japan was rocked by a series of earthquakes Friday morning, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting the country’s weather agency, although no tsunami warnings or advisories have been issued.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), a magnitude 5.6 offshore quake jolted Miyazaki and neighbouring prefectures at 7.43am local time (6.43am Malaysia).
The quake was centred in the Hyuga-nada Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean that lies off the eastern shore of Kyushu Island, to the south-west of the island of Honshu, off the south coast of Japan.
The JMA said the quake struck registered 3 on Japan’s seismic scale which peaks at 7 in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.
At 8.48am local time (7.48am Malaysia), a more powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck the same area, registering lower 5 on Japan’s seismic scale in Miyazaki Prefecture, the agency said.
The second temblor to strike the region registered 4 on Japan’s seismic scale in Kumamoto, Oita and Kagoshima prefectures, the JMA said, and 3 in other surrounding regions.
A magnitude 4.9 quake, thereafter, struck the same point at 9.07am local time (8.07am Malaysia), the agency said, with the temblor registering 3 on Japan’s seismic scale in Miyazaki.
The JMA said that no tsunami warnings or advisories are in effect as a result of the triple quakes, and there have been no immediate reports of injuries as a result of the temblors.
Nuclear power stations in the region have not reported any abnormalities, according to Japan’s nuclear watchdog.
Local media reported, however, the quakes may delay flights at Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima airports. — Bernama