Powerful Earthquake Rocks Japan’s Tokara Islands

2025-07-06 02:02:55

(MENAFN) A powerful earthquake, registering a preliminary magnitude of 5.4, struck off Japan’s Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture on Sunday. This tremor is the latest in a series of quakes that have led to a mass evacuation from the region.

The earthquake hit at 2:07 p.m. local time and was recorded as a strong 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, which reaches 7. The shaking was particularly felt on Akusekijima, a key island in the Tokara chain, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency confirmed the quake’s epicenter was located at a depth of 20 km, although it assured there is no tsunami threat.

Since June 21, the region has experienced more than 1,300 tremors. The evacuation effort escalated following a magnitude 5.5 earthquake on Thursday, which registered a lower 6 on Japan's seismic intensity scale, prompting authorities to take action, as reported by media.

By Sunday morning, 46 residents from Akusekijima and Kodakarajima had boarded a ferry for Kagoshima City on Kyushu, the nearest main island. This marked the second wave of evacuations after 13 Akusekijima residents were evacuated on Friday.

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