Earthquake in Japan damages historic Kumamoto Castle as powerful 7.1-magnitude tremor strikes Kyushu

Japan’s historic Kumamoto Castle was damaged on Tuesday after a powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu, injuring dozens, derailing a train and disrupting transport and power supplies across the region.

Stone walls at Kumamoto Castle were damaged during the violent shaking, according to Kyodo News. The landmark, one of Japan’s best-known castles, had already suffered extensive destruction during the deadly Kumamoto earthquakes of 2016 and undergone years of restoration work.

Tuesday’s earthquake was initially measured at magnitude 7.1 by the U.S. Geological Survey, which later revised its estimate to 6.8. Japanese authorities issued a tsunami advisory shortly after the quake, although it was lifted within two hours after no tsunami was observed.

Kumamoto earthquake damages historic castle

The damage to Kumamoto Castle brought back memories of the 2016 disaster, when sections of its stone walls collapsed and several structures were badly damaged.

Tuesday’s earthquake again sent stones tumbling at the castle as strong shaking hit Kumamoto and surrounding communities. The full extent of the latest damage was not immediately clear.

Elsewhere, buildings, roads and bridges were damaged, while fires and power outages were also reported, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.

“The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake (10 years ago) and I was frightened,” Mifune town official Hiroki Shimoda told Kyodo after watching roof tiles fall from nearby homes.

Earthquake in Japan injures 40

Authorities were still working to establish the number of casualties, but Kyodo reported that a hospital in Yatsushiro city had received around 40 people injured in the earthquake.

A train derailed at Yatsushiro station and fell onto its side, according to the news agency.

Emergency services also received numerous calls reporting fires and damage to homes.

In Mashiki, Yozo Kai, a priest at a Shinto shrine, said several stone lanterns toppled during the quake. He feared the shaking could once again damage the shrine’s main hall and gate.

Japan news: Tsunami advisory issued, later lifted

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory covering the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas along the western coasts of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures.

The advisory was withdrawn within two hours. Officials said no tsunami was ultimately observed because the earthquake originated inland.

Shinji Kiyomoto, an earthquake and tsunami official at the JMA, warned that the shallow quake had triggered heightened seismic activity in the area.

Residents were urged to remain particularly cautious over the next two to three days because of the possibility of strong aftershocks.

Takaichi govt activates emergency response

Prime Minister Takaichi said the government had established a task force to collect information, determine the extent of the damage and prepare rescue operations where necessary.

“We are putting people’s lives as the top priority,” Takaichi said as she urged residents in heavily affected areas to remain vigilant.

She said authorities had received reports of injuries as well as damage to buildings, roads and bridges. Blackouts and fires were also reported, although the overall scale of destruction remained unclear.

Residents were warned to watch for broken glass and exercise particular caution when using fire for cooking amid concerns about further tremors.

Japan’s Defense Ministry dispatched aircraft to survey the affected region and assess damage from above.

Bullet trains suspended, Kumamoto airport runway closed

Transport across Kyushu was severely disrupted following the earthquake.

Shinkansen bullet train services and local trains were suspended while operators carried out safety inspections.

The runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was also closed. An airport notice said there was initially “no prospect of resuming operations,” adding to disruption for passengers across the region.

Despite the strength of the earthquake, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been detected at three nuclear power plants near the affected area.

Earthquake revives memories of deadly 2016 Kumamoto disaster

The latest earthquake struck a region that still carries scars from the devastating Kumamoto earthquakes of April 2016.

More than 50 people were killed and around 1,800 injured in that disaster, while tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed.

Kumamoto Castle became one of the most visible symbols of the destruction after its centuries-old stone walls collapsed in several places.

A decade later, Tuesday’s powerful shaking has once again put the landmark — and the wider Kumamoto region — at the centre of a major earthquake emergency.

(With AP inputs)