For the first time, Japan’s Meteorological Agency has warned residents of a “mega-quake.” While this does not necessarily mean that such a mega-quake will occur in the near future, the chance of it happening is much greater. Japanese people are being urged to prepare well.
The agency issued the warning on Thursday night (local time) following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the eastern coast of Japan’s southernmost island, The Japan Times reported . Damage from the quake was limited: 16 people were injured and a few buildings were damaged.
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With the mega-earthquake warning, the agency wants to indicate that the chance of a major earthquake under the notorious Nankai Trough off the coast of Japan is greater than normal. According to government data, the chance of a mega-earthquake occurring within the next thirty years is between 70 and 80 percent, writes news agency Reuters .
People are mainly called upon to prepare themselves well for a possible disaster. Thursday’s warning was still at a low level, which means that people should take into account possible evacuation. A more serious warning will follow in the event of an earthquake with a magnitude of more than 8. Megaquakes occur on average once every 100 to 150 years in the Nankai Trough. These quakes have caused major damage in the past. In the worst case, they can result in hundreds of thousands of casualties.
Mega earthquake could trigger 30-meter tsunami
Although no concrete quake is expected yet, the warning is serious. People are advised to plan their evacuations, secure furniture and check whether family members can be reached easily. It is impossible to predict when exactly an earthquake will occur.
The government is calling on people to remain alert, especially in the coming days, because there is a greater chance that a megaquake will follow quickly after a small quake. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has canceled a trip to Central Asia because of the threat. “I have decided to stay in the country for the next week to ensure that our preparations and communications are in order,” he told reporters.
Another earthquake on Friday
On Friday, another earthquake struck, this time with a magnitude of 5.3. The epicenter was in Kanagawa, which borders Tokyo. The quake was felt in the capital, but the damage was limited. The impact of a mega-earthquake can be enormous. For example, researchers calculated that after such a large quake a tsunami of up to 30 meters is possible.
That is also not 100 percent certain, because it depends on the depth and location of the quake and the tide of the water. On New Year’s Day, residents of Japan were also shocked by a major earthquake. The quake near the west coast had a magnitude of 7.6. More than three hundred people were killed and thirteen hundred injured.
Japan is literally shaking to its foundations. On Friday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck. The epicentre was at a depth of 10 kilometres in Kanagawa Prefecture, which borders Tokyo. The quake was felt in the capital. Buildings in Tokyo shook, after which one of the city’s subway lines was briefly shut down.
The government has issued an emergency warning for the capital and the prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama, Yamanashi and Shizuoka. Greater disaster looms. After a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck southern Kyushu yesterday, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) went into overdrive. For the first time in history, the agency warned of a potential “mega-earthquake” that could also trigger tsunamis.
The quake struck at the edge of a seafloor zone off the Pacific coast known as the Nankai Trough. The trough stretches for about 900 kilometers (560 miles) where the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate.
The tectonic stresses building up there can trigger a megaquake about once every 100 to 150 years. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has canceled a working trip to Central Asia. “I have decided to stay in the country for the coming week to ensure that our preparations and communications are in order,” Kishida said.
Japanese experts are working with different scenarios. In the best case scenario, it will fizzle out, in the worst case scenario, the quake could lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths. The authorities do not want to spread panic, but the state of preparedness is high.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the government was closely monitoring the situation and urged the public to continue their daily activities, The Japan Times reported. “We urge everyone to take preventive measures, such as preventing furniture from falling over, checking evacuation routes and means of communication with their families, and evacuating immediately in the event of an earthquake,” Hayashi told a news conference on Friday.
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