Japan was struck by two strong earthquakes on Thursday. The United States Geological Survey reported that an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 and a subsequent tremor of 7.1 occurred on Thursday off the southern island of Kyushu in Japan.
The epicenter of the earthquake, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, was around 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) deep and located off the eastern coast of Kyushu, the country’s southernmost island.
The organization released a tsunami advisory in the wake of the strong earthquakes, forecasting waves of up to one meter (3.3 feet) along Kyushu’s southern shore and the adjacent island of Shikoku.
Nuclear plant operators in Kyushu and Shikoku reported that they were assessing the situation to determine whether any damage had occurred.
There have been reports of smashed glass at the Miyazaki airport near the epicenter, according to Japan’s state television station NHK.
Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone nations in the world and is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a chain of seismic faults that surrounds the Pacific Ocean.
More than 240 people died as a result of an earthquake that struck Japan’s north-central area of Noto on January 1.
(With inputs from agencies)