By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 hit south-western Japan on Monday, triggering public warnings to stay away from coastal areas because of a tsunami advisory, which was later called off. 

There were no immediate reports of damage. Residents in some coastal areas were told to evacuate as a precautionary measure.

One man was slightly injured in Kyushu after falling down some stairs, NHK TV reported. Trains stopped running in Miyazaki station, stranding passengers.

NHK said a tsunami, estimated to be as high as one metre (3.2ft), reached land within 30 minutes of the quake.

The waters detected at Miyazaki Port measured 20cm (0.7 feet) high, the reports said.

Tsunami advisories were issued for Miyazaki prefecture, where the quake was centred, in the south-western island of Kyushu, and nearby Kochi prefecture in Shikoku island, shortly after the quake struck at 9.19pm, according to the agency.

They were all called off shortly before midnight.

People were warned to stay away from the waters, including rivers. Agency official Shigeki Aoki told reporters that people should watch for landslides as well as falling objects in homes.

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 has hit Japan (File image)

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 has hit Japan (File image)

The quake struck at 9:19 p.m. local time

The quake struck at 9:19 p.m. local time

The extent of damage cause by the quake was not immediately clear

The extent of damage cause by the quake was not immediately clear

Aftershocks can strike over the next week, especially in the next two or three days, he said.

The quake, centred at a depth of 30 kilometres (18.6 miles), shook a wide area in Kyushu, the south-eastern main island, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.

Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the "Ring of Fire", an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

NHK TV footage showed moving traffic and well-lit streets, meaning that electric power was still working. 

Fears about the nuclear power plants in Sendai and Ikata are so far unfounded, as no irregulations have been reported, news agency NHK said citing Shikoku Electric Power.

The extent of damage was not immediately clear.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said the quake was at a depth of 37 km (23 miles). 

The JMA urged the public to stay away from coastal waters, writing in a post to X: 'Tsunami can strike repeatedly. Please do not enter the sea or go near coastal areas.'

The JMA is investigating whether the quake was related to the Nankai Trough, NHK said. 

Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the 'Ring of Fire,' an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 jolts every year and accounts for around 18 percent of the world's earthquakes.

The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and the depth below the Earth's surface at which they strike.

Japan in August issued its first-ever advisory of higher-than-usual risks of a megaquake after a strong quake occurred at the edge of a tremulous seabed zone along the Pacific coast known as the Nankai Trough. 

And last January, at least 260 people died after a massive earthquake hit the peninsula, including 30 'quake-linked' deaths as well as those killed directly in the disaster.

The January 1 quake and its aftershocks toppled buildings, caused fires and knocked out infrastructure at a time when families were celebrating the new year.

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