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Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Shakes Kumamoto, Multiple Injuries Reported, Japan Suspends Shinkansen and Closes Runways
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan at 4:27 p.m. local time on Tuesday, July 28, leaving several people injured, sparking fires, and cutting power to over 48,000 households. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the shaking reached a maximum intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale in Uki and Hikawa, the highest level on the country's seismic scale and the first time this level has been recorded since the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January 2024. Meanwhile, Aso Kumamoto Airport ordered the closure of its runways from 4:40 p.m. with no reopening time set, and JR Kyushu suspended all train services, including all Shinkansen lines. Kyushu Electric Power confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at the Sendai and Genkai nuclear power plants.