M7.1 Kumamoto Earthquake Rocks Japan, Sends Shakes to South Korea

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck western Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu at about 16:27 local time, with the Japan Meteorological Agency reporting a depth of roughly 10 km and a maximum seismic intensity (shindo) of 7 in Kumamoto City. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre and the US Geological Survey listed the magnitude at 6.8.

The agency issued a tsunami warning for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas, forecasting waves up to 1 m. Railway services, including Shinkansen, were halted and Kumamoto Airport was temporarily closed for runway inspection. Around 45,950 households lost power, and some stone walls of Kumamoto Castle collapsed. TSMC evacuated staff from its Kumamoto plant, though no major damage was confirmed. Nuclear facilities in the region reported no abnormalities.

In South Korea, the Korea Meteorological Administration recorded tremors, with the strongest intensity of shindo 3 in Busan, Gyeongnam and Jeju, and weaker shaking elsewhere. No casualties or major injuries have been reported in either country.