A powerful earthquake off the coast of the archipelago causes small tsunamis, without causing major damage

More fear than harm. A strong earthquake occurred on Thursday, August 8, off the coast of the island of Kyushu, in southern Japan. It triggered several small tsunami waves, but no serious damage was reported immediately. The American geological service USGS, which had initially mistakenly mentioned two successive tremors, now reports only a single earthquake of magnitude 7.1 that occurred at 4:42 p.m. local time (8:42 a.m. Paris time) at a depth of 25 kilometers.

Public broadcaster NHK showed footage of traffic lights shaking violently in Miyazaki Prefecture, where the quake struck. More than an hour after the quake, tsunamis of only 50 cm, 20 cm and 10 cm had been confirmed in some places, including the port of Miyazaki, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

THE “damage to persons and property” are still being assessed, government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said. Images posted on social media showed only minor damage, including dishes and books falling from shelves, and a small wall collapsed in a parking lot.