Magnitude 7.1 earthquake hits Kumamoto in Japan, with tremors felt in Busan

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Kumamoto in southern Japan on Tuesday, with tremors felt as far as southern regions of Korea.

According to NHK and other Japanese media outlets, the earthquake struck at 4:27 p.m. about 23 kilometers (14 miles) south of Kumamoto, the capital of the prefecture of the same name, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu.

The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers. The tremor registered a maximum seismic intensity of 7 in the city and surrounding areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory, warning that waves of up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) could occur as a result of the quake.

Tremors from the earthquake were also detected in parts of southern Korea. The Korea Meteorological Administration said the quake registered a maximum seismic intensity of III per the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in South Gyeongsang, Busan, South Jeolla, Gwangju and Jeju, and a maximum intensity of II in Gangwon, Gyeonggi, North Gyeongsang, Daegu, Ulsan, North Jeolla, South Chungcheong and North Chungcheong.

An intensity of III means the tremor is felt by many people indoors and can cause parked vehicles to shake slightly, while an intensity of II means the tremor is felt only in quiet conditions or by some people on upper floors of buildings.

Busan firefighting headquarters received 157 calls from residents reporting that they had felt the quake, with reports continuing to come in.

"The shaking was so severe that everyone inside the building fled outside," one resident near the Haeundae District told the local news agency Yonhap. "I felt the building sway side to side for about 10 seconds," another in Yeongdo District said.

BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]