Earthquake Today: 7.1 magnitude quake hits Southern Japan; nearly 100 injured

Earthquake Today: An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) below the sea surface, JMA said.

One hospital reported more than 50 injuries, and another around 40, including 10 in a serious condition, public broadcaster NHK said. Several people on a high-speed train at the time of the quake were also injured, media reported.

A Tsunami warning was issued as soon as the quake hit Japan, however, it was later lifted.

According to Reuters, Japanese government has issued emergency earthquake warnings for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki prefectures, all on Japan's southern Kyushu island.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. Located along the "Ring of Fire" of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more.

According to Kyushu Electric Power, there were no reports of irregularities at its Sendai and Genkai nuclear power stations after the earthquake.

Train operator JR Kyushu said that it has suspended services, including its high-speed Shinkansen trains following the quake.

Kyushu is home to many factories run by chip gear and materials makers. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the go-to chipmaker for Nvidia Corp. and Apple Inc., operates a factory in Kumamoto prefecture, with a second facility under construction. Sony Group Corp. produces image sensors in Kyushu that are used in smartphones, while Tokyo Electron Ltd. makes chip tools and advanced packaging equipment in the region.

Chipmaking in particular is highly sensitive to physical shocks or disruptions in power and processes, and minor hiccups can sometimes destroy whole batches of valuable product.

TSMC said it was currently checking the situation at its plant, Kyodo reported.

History of Earthquakes in Japan

Japan remains one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations because it lies at the convergence of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire".

The country, home to around 125 million people, experiences hundreds of earthquakes each year and accounts for nearly 18% of global seismic activity. While most tremors are relatively minor, their impact depends on factors such as magnitude, depth and proximity to populated areas.

The country's recent seismic history underscores its vulnerability. In April 2016, the Kumamoto region was struck by two powerful earthquakes measuring 6.5 and 7.3 in magnitude within 48 hours, claiming 273 lives and injuring more than 2,800 people. More recently, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck northern Japan on June 25, causing no fatalities or significant damage.

Earlier this year, on April 20, a magnitude 7.7 quake jolted northern Japan, injuring at least 10 people and swaying high-rise buildings as far away as Tokyo. The event prompted authorities to issue a week-long advisory warning of an elevated risk of earthquakes measuring magnitude 8.0 or higher before the alert was withdrawn.

Japan's approach to earthquake preparedness continues to be shaped by the devastating 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake triggered a catastrophic tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster, making it one of the country's deadliest natural disasters in modern history. The tragedy has since driven significant improvements in Japan's seismic monitoring, disaster response systems and public preparedness.