Southern Japan is under a tsunami warning following two powerful earthquakes that struck Thursday afternoon.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning for coastal regions on the southern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, including Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures. The alert is for potential tsunami waves expected to reach up to one meter in height.

The first earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.9, occurred less than 20 miles off the coast of Miyazaki on Kyushu. This was followed by a stronger quake of magnitude 7.1 less than a minute later. The initial waves of the tsunami reached the coast of Miyazaki about half an hour after the quakes, with more waves anticipated.

NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, reported that inside its Miyazaki office, staff experienced difficulty standing on the second floor, though no items fell. In the city of Nichinan, also on Kyushu, local police reported no building collapses. Kyushu Electric Power Company has confirmed that its nuclear power plants are operating normally.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation and assess the impact of the earthquakes and tsunami. (ILKHA)