Tsunami alert as fresh earthquake rocks Japan

Tokyo: A strong 7.0 earthquake hit southern Japan on late Friday night, the US Geological Survey said, a day after another powerful tremor killed at least nine people in the same area. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the western coast of the Kyushu island, where hundreds were injured in Thursday’s quake.

Earlier, nine people were killed after a powerful earthquake hit southern Japan, collapsing homes, sparking fires and injuring hundreds, officials said today as rescuers worked through the night to find residents feared trapped in rubble.

Tens of thousands of people reportedly fled their homes and television footage showed damaged buildings, buckled roads and lumps of broken concrete in the streets after the 6.5-magnitude quake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu. 

NHK footage showed what appeared to be a house ablaze and firefighters dousing it with water, one of several fires reportedly sparked by the quake that left at least 780 injured, according to the public broadcaster.

A camera in one of its offices showed violent shaking as the earthquake hit, with computer monitors and files tumbling off shelves as employees fell to the floor to take cover.

Meanwhile, some of Japan’s biggest firms including Sony and Toyota shut down operations in southern Japan Friday after the region's deadly earthquake, but analysts said while the economy could be affected the impact would be far less than previous disasters.    

In the neighbouring town of Mashiki, scores of people gathered in front the town hall following the powerful shaking, some in tears while others wrapped themselves in blankets.