A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 rattled islands in south-western Japan on July 5, the latest in a series of tremblers that have prompted some residents to evacuate.

The quake struck off the Tokara island chain at 6.29am at a depth of about 19km, though no tsunami warning was issued, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It measured upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7.

The magnitude and depth of the focus of the quake were revised from 5.3 and 20km, respectively.

The agency is warning of possible house collapses and landslides as strong quakes are expected to continue for some time.

The number of quakes detected in the Tokara island chain area has exceeded 1,000 since June 21. A trembler with a magnitude of 5.5, measuring lower 6 of the Japanese scale, jolted the area on July 3.

Around a dozen residents evacuated from Akuseki Island, which has experienced strong shaking throughout the period, to Kagoshima on the main island of Kyushu via ferry on July 4. KYODO NEWS

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