A significant earthquake shook southern Japan on Monday, as reported by the United States Geological Survey.

The earthquake reached an initial magnitude of 6.9 and was located roughly seven miles southeast of the city of Miyazaki, according to the USGS.

Situated on Kyushu Island, Miyazaki is about 700 miles southeast of Tokyo and has a population of approximately 400,000 based on the latest census.

The tremor occurred at 9:19 p.m. local time, according to agency data.

It remains unclear at this time if any injuries occurred or if there was damage to buildings.

Tsunami Alerts Issued

Information from the USGS indicated that the earthquake struck at a depth of over 22 miles.

Tsunami alerts have been issued for southern prefectures Miyazaki and Kochi, with predicted wave heights of around 3.5 feet, according to online data.

Reports from public broadcaster NHK indicated that a tsunami measuring 20 centimeters reached Miyazaki city.

No problems were reported at the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant in western Japan or the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in the Kagoshima region, as reported by the outlet. These facilities are the closest to the quake’s epicenter.

In August, Japan issued its first-ever warning addressing the potential higher risks of a megaquake following a significant quake recorded in the seabed zone along the Pacific coast, known as the Nankai Trough, as reported by Reuters on Monday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency mentioned it was examining whether there was a connection between the recent quake and the Nankai Trough. NHK initially reported this on Monday. Later, the agency concluded its assessment of the likelihood of a substantial earthquake in the region, stating that no special precautionary actions are required.

Contributing: Reuters

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter. Follow her on X @nataliealund.