TOKYO, July 28 — A major earthquake registering the maximum level 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, prompting government officials to issue immediate coastal advisories and emergency directives across southwestern Japan. Disaster response authorities directed residents in vulnerable coastal corridors near the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea to evacuate to higher ground immediately until emergency warnings are officially lifted.
Japan’s Cabinet Office Disaster Management Division declared that state agencies are actively monitoring coastal waters and regional infrastructure.
“An earthquake occurred in the Kumamoto region of Kumamoto Prefecture, registering a maximum seismic intensity of 7. Residents in areas where the shaking was strong, in addition to information from the national government and local authorities, please check reliable sources such as television, radio, and the internet, and act calmly,” the Cabinet Office stated in an official advisory.
Seismological data recorded the tremor at a depth of 70 kilometers, with intense shaking felt across major municipalities including Yatsushiro, Uto, Mashiki, Misato, and Kumamoto City. Utility operators from Kyushu Electric affirmed that power supply grid disruptions left approximately 45,600 households without electricity across the prefecture shortly after the tremors occurred.
Emergency management agencies state that field teams are assessing structural integrity across the region. Officials noted that the region previously suffered extensive damage during the April 2016 tremors, which caused widespread destruction to landmark heritage structures such as Kumamoto Castle.
