Additional Coverage:
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck southern Japan on Tuesday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Following the quake, a tsunami alert was issued, warning of waves approximately one meter (about one yard) high.
The earthquake occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture and registered the highest intensity of seven on Japan’s Shindo scale, the agency reported.
Despite the alert in Japan, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu confirmed there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii or American Samoa.