A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southern Kyushu region on Tuesday, triggering tsunami warnings, emergency alerts while sections of the historic Kumamoto Castle's stone walls also collapsed, sending up massive clouds of dust.
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According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at around 12:57 pm IST. The agency said the quake occurred at a shallow depth beneath the seabed.
Videos circulating on social media showed sections of Kumamoto Castle's centuries-old stone walls collapsing, with large dust clouds rising near the castle's moat.
Authorities are assessing the extent of structural damage to one of Japan's most significant cultural landmarks.
