Two Earthquakes Rattle Southern Japan on Wednesday, 17 September 2025. Image: World EQ Locator.
(The Post News)- Officials confirmed that Southern Japan was rattled by a series of earthquakes on Wednesday, 17 September, with no serious damage or injuries reported.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that two earthquakes, both measured at magnitude 4.9, struck in the East China Sea near the Tokara Islands. “The quakes occurred about five minutes apart and at a depth of 10 kilometers, roughly 105 kilometers (65 miles) from land,” the USGS said in its statement.
Authorities noted that shallow earthquakes can pose greater risks. “When seismic energy is released closer to the surface, shaking tends to be stronger and more destructive compared to deeper quakes,” a USGS spokesperson explained.
Japanese authorities also recorded a separate quake in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The Meteorological Agency said it registered a magnitude of 4.7 and an intensity of lower five on Japan’s seismic scale, which runs from 0 to 7. “Although the quake was strong, there is no threat of tsunami,” the agency announced.
Residents in Kagoshima reported feeling sharp tremors but no immediate impact. “I was in my office when the shaking started. It was brief but strong enough to make the shelves rattle,” one Kagoshima resident told local media.
Japan, sitting on the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent earthquakes. Authorities say they remain on alert but emphasized that Wednesday’s tremors caused no significant disruption.
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