6.6 magnitude earthquake jolts southwestern Japan, 10 injuries reported so far

More than 10 people sustained injuries after an earthquake of magnitude 6.6 hit southwestern and western Japan on Saturday morning, reported the weather agency and local authorities. The quake was strong beneath the Pacific Ocean near Japan's coast, where another quake of high magnitude, along with a tsunami, is predicted to occur in the coming days. However, the government did not call for an emergency meeting regarding the earthquake because the magnitude of Saturday's tremor was less than 6.8, which is the threshold for the authorities to hold an extraordinary meeting to evaluate an earthquake, reported Kyodo News.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said that it will discuss the latest quake and find out if Saturday's earthquake was connected with the tremors that were predicted in previous meetings. Notably, the earthquake hit the region at 1:08 am in Miyazaki and Oita prefectures on Japan’s southwestern main island of Kyushu. The agency reported that the epicentre of the quake was at a depth of 45 kilometres and had a magnitude of 5, on the upper end of the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7. It is worth mentioning here that at the intensity of the upper 5, it becomes difficult for people to walk without holding on to something stable. 

After examining the magnitude of the tremors, the agency revised the magnitude of the quake and estimated it to be around 6.6, down from an initial estimate of 6.4. The agency has warned that another quake of similar frequency will occur in hard-hit areas in the next week. After the earthquake, several smaller-scale temblors were recorded in the region.

According to a report published in the Kyodo News, at least six people in Oita sustained minor injuries, while in Miyazaki, police confirmed four injuries, including a woman who fell out of bed. People living in Saga and Kumamoto prefectures in Kyushu were also injured. A temporary power cut was recorded in Oita after the temblor, and water pipe ruptures were reported at several locations. 

Damage caused by the earthquake

According to a Kyodo News report, due to the earthquake, a two-meter tall stone wall collapsed over about 20 meters, scattering debris on the main road. While in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, many liquor bottles and products had fallen from shelves. The tremors were also felt in western Japan and a part of central Japan. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has estimated that a tsunami triggered by an earthquake could kill more than 3 lakh people along the Nankai Trough, which runs from western to central Japan.