There have been no reports of abnormalities at nuclear power plants following the quake, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters. The quake occurred at around 4:43 p.m. (0743 GMT) off Miyazaki prefecture on the western major island of Kyushu, the JMA said. Some of the tsunami advisories, originally issued for the Pacific coast of the major western islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, have been lifted, except for Miyazaki. A JMA panel, convened after the quake, believes there is now a "relatively higher chance" of another major earthquake occurring near western Japan's Pacific coast, Hayashi added. More than 15,000 people were killed in a magnitude 9 quake in 2011 that triggered a devastating tsunami and triple reactor meltdowns at a nuclear power plant.

Source: ABC News August 08, 2024 10:50 UTC