7.1 magnitude earthquake hits Japan, triggers tsunami advisory

Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Thursday afternoon, sparking a tsunami advisory around the country.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake hit off of Miyazaki Prefecture at a depth of nearly 19 miles. The agency said the tremor produced a tsunami of about one foot high in the western part of the country.

The advisory called for people to immediately leave the water in Miyazaki, Oita, Kagoshima, Kokchi and Ehime prefectures.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority tried to ease fears about the earthquake's damage potential by reporting no abnormalities were found at the reactor at Sendai Power Plant in the Kagoshima prefecture and the Ikata Power Plant in Ehime prefecture.

"Under the policy of putting human life first, we are making all-out efforts to assess the damage and take emergency measures such as lifesaving and rescues," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi during a news conference.

The JMA said residents should be careful around damaged or collapsed homes and buildings and the possibility of landslides. The agency warned that aftershocks were still likely.