Japan Earthquake 2016: 6.5 And 7.0-Magnitude Quakes Hit Southern Japan; Powerful Earthquakes Ignite Tsunami, Nuclear Meltdown Concerns

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake shook the southern part of Japan on Thursday night, April 14. According to reports, at least nine people were killed and 761 were injured as the quake knocked down houses and buckled roads.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the powerful earthquake hit the country at 9:26 p.m. at a depth of 11 kilometers (7 miles) near Kumamoto City on the island of Kyushu, which is 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) southwest of Tokyo. According to ABC 7, the worst damage of the latest Japan earthquake was seen in the town of Mashiki, 15 kilometers (9 miles) east of Kumamoto City and most of those injured were elderly.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshide Suga said that due to the latest Japan earthquake, at least 19 houses collapsed and hundreds of call came in reporting damages of buildings and people buried or trapped under debris. Rescue operations, however, were repeatedly disrupted by the aftershocks, where almost 116 jolts reported by early Friday.

Speaking of aftershocks, Japan Meteorological Agency revealed that the largest jolt recorded was a 6.4-magnitude shortly after midnight. The agency also said that the latest Japan earthquake was unusually strong for Kyushu, which is also near the huge active volcano of Mount Aso.

Meanwhile, the 6.5-magnitude quake that struck Kyushu Island on Thursday night was followed by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake early Saturday, increasing the death toll to 19. The latest Japan earthquake was reportedly about 30 times more powerful than the deadly jolt on Thursday.

The latest Japan earthquake reportedly toppled buildings and shredded structures into pile of debris. It also triggered a landslide, splitting roads and overturning cars, CNN reports.

Suga said that 20,000 self-defense forces were already deployed to the island for rescue operations. Since Friday, there were already 7,262 people seeking shelter at 375 centers in Kumamoto Prefecture.

"No question, this is a large and very important earthquake," U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) geophysicist Doug Given said. "And it will do a lot of damage."

Experts revealed that the four islands of Japan are on the edge of the "Ring of Fire," a region in the Pacific Ocean prone to volcanoes and earthquakes. Victor Sardina, a geophysicist in Honolulu, Hawaii, also added that the latest Japan earthquakes were severe and serious implications in terms of damages and human losses are expected.

The latest Japan earthquakes also triggered tsunami alerts and nuclear meltdown concerns. Fortunately, the tsunami warning was already lifted and the Sendai nuclear plant was undamaged, BBC News learns.

Due to the powerful Japan earthquakes, a small eruption occurred at Mt. Aso on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. local time. As per Reuters, the smoke rose to about 100 meters (300 feet) high and the Japanese Meteorological Agency kept the alert level for Mt. Aso at 2 on a scale of 5.