Japan has issued a warning for an elevated risk of a potential mega-quake in the northern coastal regions. This alert follows a significant earthquake that occurred earlier in the day. The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) have indicated a one percent probability of a mega-quake hitting the northern coast of Japan within the next week, triggered by the powerful quake near the Chishima trough.
While officials clarified that this advisory does not predict a quake, they have advised residents to enhance their readiness by stocking emergency supplies like food and a “go bag” while maintaining their daily routines. This is the second advisory issued for the region in recent months, with the previous one coming after a major quake in December, which did not result in any subsequent major quakes.
Earlier on the same day, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, prompting authorities to caution residents to avoid coastal areas where tsunami waves up to three meters high were anticipated. Following the tremor, tsunami waves reaching up to 80 centimeters were detected. Subsequently, the tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory by the JMA, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre confirmed that the tsunami risk had subsided.
As night descended in Tokyo, government spokesperson Minoru Kihara reported no immediate casualties or significant damage. Evacuation orders were issued for several port towns, including Otsuchi and Kamaishi, which had been severely affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi established an emergency task force and urged residents in the impacted areas to evacuate to safe locations.
Authorities anticipate significant aftershocks in the coming days and weeks, as communicated during a televised press conference by a JMA official. Ships were seen leaving Hachinohe port in Hokkaido in anticipation of potential waves, with warnings flashing on screens urging evacuation. The JMA warned that a three-meter tsunami could lead to flooding in low-lying areas, causing significant damage to structures and posing risks to individuals caught in its path.
Bullet train services in Aomori were temporarily suspended due to the tremors, as reported by the Kyodo news agency. The earthquake, registering at an “upper 5” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, had its epicenter in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to JMA. The International Atomic Energy Agency stated that no anomalies were observed at Japan’s nuclear facilities following the quake.
Situated in the seismically active “Ring of Fire,” Japan experiences frequent earthquakes, with a tremor of at least magnitude 6.0 occurring roughly every five minutes. The country encounters about 20 percent of the world’s earthquakes measuring 6.0 or higher, with a recent 7.5 magnitude quake causing numerous injuries in December. Remembering the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that claimed over 22,000 lives and displaced nearly half a million people, Japan remains vigilant in its earthquake preparedness efforts.