7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, Tsunami Alerts Issued

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck western Japan on Thursday, leading to tsunami advisories for parts of Kyushu and Shikoku.

According to public broadcaster NHK, a tsunami with an estimated height of up to 1 meter has been forecasted.

The tsunami is expected to reach Japan’s southern region as early as 7:50 am GMT.

The earthquake occurred less than 20 miles off the coast of Miyazaki, according to the United States Geological Survey.

This is a developing story