Janice R. Andrews
A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake that occurred off the southern coast of Japan on Thursday raised new worries about the possibility of worse earthquakes in the area. There were nine minor injuries from the earthquake, which happened in the seas east of Kyushu Island, however there was no major building damage. The original tsunami warnings were withdrawn a few hours later.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the epicenter of the earthquake was off the eastern coast of Kyushu, and it hit at a depth of around 30 kilometers (19 miles) below the surface of the ocean. The districts of Miyazaki Prefecture near Nichinan City suffered the brunt of the earthquake’s impacts.
After the earthquake, tsunami waves as high as 50 centimeters (1.6 feet) were seen in certain areas of the southern coast of Kyushu and the adjacent island of Shikoku. Even though tsunami advisories were issued soon after the earthquake, they were quickly lifted for the most of the affected areas within three hours, and for the remaining beaches, they were lifted five and a half hours later.
In order to assess the earthquake’s effects on the Nankai Trough, an underwater trench that has previously been the cause of several catastrophic earthquakes, seismologists called an emergency conference. A higher risk estimate for major seismic occurrences in the future in the region extending from Kyushu to central Japan was the result of the assessment. Residents are encouraged to check their earthquake preparation plans even if there isn’t an imminent threat of a significant earthquake.
Member of the expert panel Naoshi Hirata, a seismologist from the University of Tokyo, stated that the current estimate is 70-80% for the likelihood of a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake within the next 30 years, with the source likely being the Nankai Trough. Hirata stressed that there is a greater chance of major seismic activity in the future even if the precise time and location of such an event are yet unknown. Citizens living near the trough, which is over 500 kilometers (310 miles) long, have been asked to be very watchful and cautious during the next week.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared that the government’s crisis management team will strengthen disaster preparedness measures in the wake of the earthquake. Kishida asked people to refrain from disseminating false information and to keep informed via official means.
Nine injuries were reported, primarily from small falls or being struck by debris in the prefectures of Miyazaki and nearby Kagoshima, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Although there were no initial indications of significant damage, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that officials were still assessing the situation and cautioned locals to stay away from coastal regions.
JMA’s Seismology Department’s Shigeki Aoki issued a warning on the possibility of significant aftershocks throughout the course of the following week. The state broadcaster in Japan, NHK, said that there were broken windows at Miyazaki Airport and that the runway was temporarily blocked for safety checks. After brief inspections, Kyushu “shinkansen” super-express trains returned to regular service; however, local train services in the impacted districts remained stopped until Friday.
There were no recorded casualties despite some concrete walls collapsing and damage to a timber home in Osaki, Kagoshima Prefecture. All 12 nuclear reactors in Kyushu and Shikoku, including the three that are presently in operation, are safe and operating as intended, the Nuclear Regulation Authority told the public.
Because to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” Japan is very vulnerable to earthquakes. More than 240 people died in the nation’s most recent significant earthquake, which struck the north-central Noto area on January 1. The most recent earthquake emphasizes Japan’s continued vulnerability to earthquakes and emphasizes the value of readiness and watchfulness in a country often hit by natural catastrophes.
