Major earthquake rocks Japan, prompting tsunami warnings

A large earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, sparking tsunami warnings in the region.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 and depth of 10 kilometers, or just over 6 miles, was at the highest end of the seismic intensity scale.

Japan’s Cabinet Office’s Disaster Management Division said a tsunami advisory had been issued for the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea.

It warned residents to leave coastal areas immediately and to stay away until the advisory was lifted.

It was not immediately clear what impact the earthquake has had on the ground.