A: Hey there! Heard anything exciting this morning?

B: Just the usual, what's up?

A: Well, there was a big earthquake near Akusekijima in Kagoshima Prefecture early today. It was a 5.1 on the Japanese scale.

B: Whoa, that sounds serious! Anything more about it?

A: Yeah, it followed two other strong quakes that happened six minutes apart on Sunday afternoon. Those were upper 5, or around 4.9 and 5.5 in magnitude.

B: That's quite a series! So, any warnings for future quakes?

A: Absolutely, the Japan Meteorological Agency is saying there could be more strong tremors, even as intense as lower 6.

B: Wow, that's quite a threat... Has this area been active before?

A: It sure has! There were quake swarms here in 2021 and 2023, but the current activity is way more intense than those. As of now, over 1500 quakes with an intensity of 1 or greater have been recorded since June 21.
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A magnitude 5.1 quake shook Akusekijima, part of the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, early Monday morning. It registered a lower 5 on the Japanese seismic scale of zero to 7.



The tremor followed two strong quakes that struck just six minutes apart on Sunday afternoon. They measured upper 5, or magnitude 4.9 and 5.5.



The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning that more strong tremors -- possibly as intense as lower 6 -- could follow.



Seismic activity has been intensifying in the region since June 21.



The region experienced quake swarms in 2021 and 2023, but the latest is by far the most active. Authorities say that as of 4 a.m. on Monday, 1,578 quakes with an intensity of 1 or greater had been recorded in the current sequence.