ALBAWABA- A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Japan’s Kyushu region on Tuesday evening, rattling parts of the southern island chain but causing no reported damage or injuries, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The quake hit near Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture at a depth of just 10 kilometers, a shallow origin that intensified shaking across central Kyushu. Tremors were felt as far as Fukuoka, roughly 90 kilometers away, and residents reported swaying buildings and clattering household items. No tsunami warning was issued.
Emergency services said they had received no reports of structural damage or casualties by late evening. “Strong shaking was recorded in Aso and Ozu, with mild effects felt by up to 16 million people,” a JMA official said, urging caution as aftershocks remain possible.
The tremor comes days after a magnitude 5.5 quake off Iwate on November 21 and amid heightened seismic activity this year, following January’s deadly 7.6 Noto Peninsula earthquake that killed 241 people.
