The Japan Meteorological Agency reported a magnitude 4.2 aftershock in Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday afternoon.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported a magnitude 4.2 aftershock in Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday afternoon, hours after the region was struck by a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake. The aftershock was classified as a 'רעידת משנה' (aftershock) by the agency. No additional details on damage or casualties were provided in the initial report.
Initial reports of the 7.1 quake began at 11:48 Jerusalem, when the JMA issued a tsunami alert for coastal areas and reported power outages to thousands of households. Within minutes, reports of building collapses and injuries emerged. By 12:43 Jerusalem, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported at least 50 hospitalizations, as emergency teams reached impacted areas. Footage captured during the main tremor showed buildings swaying violently, reflecting the intensity of the strike.
This seismic event follows a period of heightened activity off Japan's coasts, including a magnitude 6.9 quake on Thursday and a magnitude 7.2 quake on Friday, as The Zioneer reported. Kumamoto Prefecture is a critical hub for the global semiconductor supply chain, making infrastructure resilience a matter of international economic interest.
The full extent of damage from the aftershock, as well as the final casualty count from the main quake, remains unconfirmed. Authorities are monitoring for further aftershocks.
4 developments
- DevelopingMagnitude 5.6 earthquake strikes central Japan near Tokyo
- StrongKumamoto quake: 50 injured treated at Hikawa hospital, Japanese media say
- StrongPolice estimate 'significant number' of fatalities in Kumamoto mall collapse; Japanese TV reports many trapped
- DevelopingNew Zealand issues tsunami warning after magnitude 5.9 earthquake
Source and signal
- Open-source intake