A strong earthquake shakes part of southern Japan but no tsunami detected

An aerial image shows the damaged AEON Mall after an earthquake in Kashima, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday. Kyodo News via AP hide caption toggle caption Kyodo News via AP TOKYO — An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing damage and injuries, officials said. A tsunami advisory was temporarily issued but was lifted within two hours, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The agency said the tsunami advisory covered the nearby Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the western coasts of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo. The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, but revised it later to 6.8. A map showing the location of an earthquake in southern Japan. Will Jarrett/AP hide caption toggle caption Will Jarrett/AP Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed. Takaichi later told reporters that there have been reports of a number of injur...