(NLDO) – A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Kyushu, Japan, on August 8, with a tsunami warning issued.

On the afternoon of August 8, Japan issued a tsunami warning after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck offshore. The strong earthquake was detected near the Hyuga area of ​​Miyazaki at around 4:43 p.m. local time.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake had an initial magnitude of 6.9 and was centered off the east coast of Kyushu, southern Japan. The epicenter was about 30 km deep.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a tsunami warning was issued for coastal areas on the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku in southern Japan. The agency predicted tsunami waves of about 1 meter high along the southern coast of Kyushu and the nearby island of Shikoku.

According to NHK, a tsunami warning was also issued for Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures. A 50-cm wave was observed in Miyazaki City (Miyazaki Prefecture) just before 5:30 p.m. (local time) on August 8.

In addition, a 40-cm wave was recorded in Nichinan City (Miyazaki Prefecture) at 5:23 p.m.

Officials have urged residents to move to higher ground as waves of up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) are forecast to hit the coast in the coming days. Depending on the location, the tsunami could reach heights higher than those observed by tide gauges, NHK said.

Japan lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, considered one of the most earthquake-prone areas on the planet.

Japan experienced a major earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale in March 2011. This was followed by a devastating tsunami along the northeastern coast, killing nearly 20,000 people and causing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

More recently, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit the Noto region on January 1, killing at least 241 people.