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A strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the southwest coast of Japan on Monday. Tsunami warnings that had been issued have since been lifted for coastal areas near the quake’s epicenter.
Keep reading to learn more about Monday's seismic activity and why Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes.
Earthquake in Japan today, Monday, Jan. 13
What we know:
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says the earthquake, which struck at 4:19 a.m. PT, measured at 6.8 magnitude.
Seismologists say the quake struck a little more than 11 miles east of the city of Miyazaki, at a depth of about 22.4 miles.
There were no immediate reports of damage. Residents in some coastal areas were told to evacuate as a precautionary measure.
Were there tsunami warnings after Monday's earthquake in Japan?
Tsunami advisories were issued for Miyazaki prefecture, where the quake was centered, on the southwestern island of Kyushu, as well as nearby Kochi prefecture on Shikoku island, shortly after the quake struck at 9:19 p.m. (4:19 a.m. PT). They were all called off shortly before midnight local time.
People were warned to stay away from the waters, including rivers. Agency official Shigeki Aoki told reporters that people should watch for landslides as well as falling objects in homes. Aftershocks are possible, especially in the next two or three days, he said.
Why are there so many earthquakes in Japan?
Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes due to its location along the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
Experts at the meteorological agency met late Monday to gauge how the latest temblor may be related to the so-called Nankai Trough quakes, but decided not to take any extraordinary measures for the time being. The term refers to a wide region believed to be prone to periodic major quakes.
A Nankai Trough quake off Shikoku in 1946 killed more than 1,300 people. The area was hit by a 7.1 magnitude quake in August last year.
The Source: Information in this article comes from earthquake data provided by the United States Geological Survey and the Associated Press.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.