Strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes southern Japan; tsunami alert issued

A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit southern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. A tsunami alert was issued. The alert was for a one-meter-(about one yard) high tsunami, according to the Reuters news service.

Reuters said the quake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture.

The temblor measured at the highest possible level of seven on Japan’s own Shindo scale, the agency said.

But there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii or American Samoa, according to the Honolulu-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.