A 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Japan's Kyushu region

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale occurred on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at approximately 4:27 PM, centered in Kumamoto Prefecture, part of Japan's Kyushu region. This earthquake, which originated at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers below the Earth's surface at around 16:27 Japan time, was recorded as 7, the highest value on the Japan Meteorological Agency's (JMA) Shindo intensity scale.

Its moment magnitude (Mw) was later calculated as 6.8, as noted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Japanese authorities.

The severe impact of this earthquake, which originated in the Kumamoto region east of Uki City, was felt in Uki City and Hikawa City, where intense shaking was reported to the extent that people could not even stand. Additionally, strong shaking was felt in Minami, Yatsushiro, Uto, Mashiki, and Misato in Kumamoto, and some level of tremors were felt in many neighboring prefectures including Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, and Miyazaki.

Following this powerful earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the Ariake and Yatsushiro coastal areas, indicating a risk of tsunami waves approximately one meter high. The public was urged to evacuate coastal areas immediately, and it was reported that small tsunami waves had already reached some coastal areas. However, no tsunami threat has emerged for distant regions such as Hawaii or the American West Coast.

While initial investigations in the first few hours after the incident reported no loss of life or major building damage, many infrastructure facilities were disrupted. Over 40,000 homes in Kumamoto Prefecture experienced power outages, and Japan Railways temporarily suspended transport services, including high-speed Shinkansen trains, for inspection purposes. No dangerous conditions were reported at the nearby Sendai and Genkai nuclear power plants, and technology factories in the area, such as Sony and TSMC, are assessing the impact on their operations.

The Japanese government issued emergency earthquake warnings for several prefectures, including Kumamoto, and emergency evacuation advisories were sent to nearly 35,000 families in Amakusa City. Due to several aftershocks reported after the main tremor, the public has been advised to remain highly vigilant. It is noteworthy that this event occurred ten years after the devastating earthquake in Kumamoto in 2016, which claimed the lives of over 275 people.