Powerful Quake Rocks Southern Japan

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Japan on Tuesday afternoon, injuring dozens, sparking fires, and damaging buildings.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has since called off a tsunami alert for the coasts of the Ariake Sea and the Yatsushiro Sea. The quake struck Kyushu Island, in Kumamoto Prefecture, shortly before 4:30 p.m. local time.

NHK footage showed severe damage to the Kyushu Expressway, smoke rising from homes, and a partially collapsed wall at Kumamoto Castle.

熊本 宇城市と氷川町で震度7 被害相次ぐhttps://t.co/fAoIlTGbTd pic.twitter.com/XUUqaauCBg

— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) July 28, 2026

【速報 JUST IN 】【地震】熊本 八代 橋の一部が崩れる 上空からの映像https://t.co/5yeg6MbbQN #nhk_news

— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) July 28, 2026

【地震】熊本 イオンモール熊本で爆発https://t.co/cc3ru0syKJ pic.twitter.com/aI4j4ELEv5

— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) July 28, 2026

イオンモール熊本で爆発音 多数が閉じ込めか けが人もhttps://t.co/cc3ru0syKJ#nhk_video pic.twitter.com/KTraNyJ1mR

— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) July 28, 2026

There were no reported abnormalities at the nearby Sendai Nuclear Power Plant, Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters.