Japan: A magnitude-5.9 earthquake occurs off southern Japan at around 07:39 April 16

A magnitude-5.9 earthquake occurred off southern Japan around 07:39 April 16. The epicenter was about 143 km (89 miles) southeast of Koshima. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 8 km (5 miles), and light-to-moderate shaking was probably felt throughout Kagoshima Prefecture as well as central and southern Miyazaki Prefecture. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. Authorities have not issued any tsunami warnings connected to the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.