Japan issues first ‘megaquake’ warning

Japan issues first ‘megaquake’ warning

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued its first-ever “mega earthquake caution” on Thursday, following a magnitude 7.1 temblor that struck earlier in the day off the coast of Kyushu, the country’s third largest island. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries.

The quake occurred at around 4:43 pm local time (07:43 GMT) off the coast of the Miyazaki prefecture of Kyushu, at a depth of about 18 miles, triggering tsunami advisories, the JMA said.