TOKYO, July 28 — Severe seismic activity shook Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday afternoon, triggering widespread power outages and forcing emergency services onto high alert across Japan’s southwestern landmass. The earthquake hit at 12:57 PM IST at a depth of 70 kilometers, registering an upper-level 6 on the Japanese Shindo scale in several urban centers before reaching a maximum intensity reading of 7 in the central Kumamoto area.
Disaster management officials affirmed that coastal safety measures were implemented right after the tremors were recorded.
The Cabinet Office issued an urgent coastal safety bulletin following the quake. “A tsunami advisory has been issued for Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea. Leave coastal areas immediately and stay away until the advisory is lifted,” the official emergency directive stated.
Local authorities reported significant disruptions to municipal services across Yatsushiro, Uto, and Kumamoto City’s Minami Ward. Kyushu Electric confirmed that transmission disruptions cut power access to nearly 45,600 residences, while municipal agencies maintained that emergency crews are evaluating transport corridors and utility pipelines for structural failures.
State authorities maintained that emergency response frameworks remain activated across all affected prefectural districts. Government representatives asserted that residents should rely strictly on official broadcasts for real-time updates as damage assessment operations continue on the ground.
