CNN
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The Japan Meteorological Agency withdrew a tsunami warning after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of southwestern Japan.

The quake struck shortly after 9:19 p.m. local time (7:19 a.m. ET), the agency said, triggering an alert for Miyazaki Prefecture on Kyushu island and Japan’s southern Kochi Prefecture.

An initial tsunami wave about 1 meter (3.2 feet) high made landfall within 30 minutes of the earthquake, the Associated Press reported, citing Japanese public broadcaster NHK TV.

Authorities lifted the tsunami warning late Monday night but continued to urge locals to stay away from the sea and stay near the coast – warning that the second and third waves could be higher than the first.

Cliff collapses and falling rocks could still pose a danger to residents if earthquakes of the same magnitude hit the area, weather authorities said.

“An earthquake could occur at any time, and it is important to ensure that earthquake preparations are made daily,” officials said in a news conference.

Most of Japan lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire – a zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity – and is therefore vulnerable to frequent earthquakes.

Last summer, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a strong mega-shock earthquake warning after tremors struck parts of western Japan that originated in the Hyuga-Nada Sea – where Monday’s earthquake also originated.

In 2011, the worst quake and subsequent tsunami in modern Japanese history struck northwest of the capital Tokyo, killing at least 20,000 people. The magnitude 9.1 Tohoku earthquake developed into a violent tsunami and nuclear disaster – destroying homes, flooding cities and leaving survivors psychologically scarred.

This story has been updated.