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Japan Ends ‘Megaquake’ Alert, Urges Citizens to Resume Normal Activities

Thursday 15 August 2024 - 14:30

Japan has officially lifted its heightened warning for a potential major earthquake, allowing citizens to resume their regular activities. This announcement follows a week after the government issued its first "megaquake" advisory due to a significant tremor near the Nankai Trough seabed zone.

Yoshifumi Matsumura, the state minister for disaster management, confirmed on Thursday that no unusual seismic activity had been detected in the Nankai Trough area over the past week. This expansive undersea trench, stretching 800 kilometers along Japan's Pacific coast, has been a focal point of seismological concern.

The initial advisory, released on August 8 by the Japan Meteorological Agency, suggested an elevated likelihood of a Nankai Trough earthquake potentially reaching magnitude 9. This warning followed a magnitude 7.1 quake that struck southwestern Japan, injuring 15 people and triggering a tsunami alert.

While the advisory did not constitute a definitive prediction, it prompted the government to urge residents in western and central regions to review their evacuation protocols. The gravity of the situation led Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to cancel a diplomatic visit to Central Asia and Mongolia, prioritizing domestic disaster preparedness.

The alert significantly impacted public behavior, with thousands of Japanese citizens canceling holiday plans and stockpiling essential supplies, resulting in temporary shortages in some stores.

Despite lifting the warning, Matsumura emphasized that the risk of a major earthquake has not been eliminated. The government has previously stated that there is approximately a 70 percent chance of a "megaquake" occurring within the next three decades.

Japan's geological positioning atop four major tectonic plates renders it particularly susceptible to seismic activity. The country experiences roughly 1,500 earthquakes annually, though most are minor. The Nankai Trough's seismic history includes several catastrophic events, notably the 1707 earthquake, which remains Japan's second most powerful on record.

The region's vulnerability was starkly demonstrated in 2011 when a magnitude 9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami claimed over 15,000 lives and triggered a nuclear disaster at Fukushima.

As Japan transitions back to normalcy, this episode serves as a stark reminder of the country's ongoing seismic challenges and the critical importance of maintaining disaster preparedness in one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations.