Hundreds of Hongkongers in tour groups near earthquake-rocked areas of Japan are reported to be safe after the events triggered tsunami warnings.
At least 13 tours, involving about 300 people from the city, were on the island of Kyushu on Thursday when a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck about 19km (12 miles) off the coast of Miyazaki prefecture at 3.42pm Hong Kong time, which led to fears of a tsunami.
Six of the tours, involving about 130 people, were operated by travel agency WWPKG and were spread around the island.
“The tour guide reported that all guests are safe,” the company’s executive officer Yuen Chun-ning said. “Some of them felt mild tremors in Beppu city.”
Beppu is 120km from the epicentre of the earthquake in the south side of Kyushu region.
Yuen added the tour guides had reported there was no damage to roads and hotels and would continue with the scheduled itineraries.
“During the summer vacation period, all tours are family-oriented,” he explained.
“The usual coastal destinations are changed to visits to family amusement parks, so the itineraries will proceed as planned.”
The Japan Meteorological Agency at first expected tsunamis of up to a metre (3.2 feet) in some coastal regions of Kyushu and Shikoku islands.
But reports confirmed smaller waves of 50cm, 20cm and 10cm were recorded in some spots, including the port city of Miyazaki, an hour after the earthquake.
City travel agency EGL Tours said it had six tour groups with a total of 160 travellers who were in Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Fukuoka prefectures, all on Kyushu island, and all were safe.
“Their itineraries remain unaffected. The coming tours to the area will also embark as scheduled,” Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, the firm’s executive director, said.
The Immigration Department said it had not had any requests for help from Hong Kong residents by 7pm.
The department added officials had contacted the Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, the Chinese consulate-general in Fukuoka, in the north of Kyushu, the Travel Industry Authority, as well as the Travel Industry Council, for information.
