The Meteorological Agency of Japan (JMA) on Thursday lifted the warning for the risk of a “mega-earthquake” on the Pacific coast of the western half of the country, issued after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake shook southwestern Japan last Thursday.
Last week, Japanese authorities announced the possibility of an earthquake of magnitude 8 or 9 in the Nankai Trough, an active seismic zone submerged in southwestern Japan.
Is there a high probability of a mega earthquake?
According to experts, there is a 70% to 80% chance of a major earthquake occurring in the next three decades, which would have devastating consequences for the country despite its high level of anti-seismic preparedness, and could cause more than 300,000 victims, according to official estimates.
Statistics show that there is a higher probability of strong earthquakes occurring after an earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher in an area close to the Nankai Trough.
People are encouraged to update their earthquake emergency plans, including identifying the nearest evacuation facilities and considering voluntary evacuation for households with young children or the elderly.
Some experts considered the warning to be an excessive and alarmist measure, given the difficulty of predicting earthquakes accurately and the economic and psychological impact it could have on the country and its population.
The announcement came during the Obon holiday period, when there is a large number of movements, mainly from big cities such as Tokyo to rural areas, generating significant revenue for the tourism sector.
Last Thursday’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Miyazaki prefecture, on the southern island of Kyushu (southwest), where a tsunami of half a metre in height was recorded. It left around fifteen injured and a dozen houses collapsed.
Japan is located on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the most seismically active regions in the world, so it experiences earthquakes with some regularity, which is why its infrastructure is specially designed to withstand tremors.
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2024-08-18 11:35:21