Not Over Yet: More earthquakes of 7 magnitude to strike Japan this week

It is not over for Japan which was jolted by 21 earthquakes over 4.0 magnitude each with the strongest tremor of 7.6 on first day of New Year 2024. Japan Meteorological Agency has advised people to remain safe as the East Asian nation could possibly be hit by more quakes of around 7.0 magnitude in next two or three days.

Addressing the media on Monday, Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) official Shimoyama Toshihiro said, “Quakes with an intensity reaching the top of the scale of 7 are possible for about a week, and especially for the next two or three days.”

Toshihiro further said people residing in coastal areas and along rivers, where tsunami warnings have been issued, have been asked to immediately evacuate to safe places.

“Tsunami waves will hit repeatedly, so people should stay in safe areas until the warnings are lifted,” Toshihiro said.

Risk of landslides & houses collapsing

The JMA official also informed the areas hit by strong tremors have an increasing risk of landslides and houses collapsing.

“People are advised to stay on alert for future seismic activities as well as rainy conditions.

People in Japan asked not to return home

A repork by NHK quoted Hirata Naoshi, an expert on the mechanism of earthquakes, saying people who have evacuated after the quake in Japan should not return to their homes until the warning are lifted.

“Seismic activity has been very active in the Noto region in Ishikawa Prefecture since around December 2020.” Hirata said.

Hirata also pointed out that there is a possibility that an extremely strong quake could occur, and that a powerful tsunami could follow.

Why so many earthquakes strike Japan?

Earthquakes, a consequence of tectonic plate movements, are intricately tied to the Earth’s geological dynamics. Japan, which is strategically situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, faces heightened seismic activity, given its proximity to the most active earthquake belt globally.

This geological “ring” outlines a horseshoe-shaped zone along the Pacific Ocean rim, which is known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. within this ring, the collision of multiple tectonic plates, including the Pacific Plate beneath the ocean and the Philippine Sea Plate, generate seismic forces which cause earthquakes of varying magnitudes.

In understanding the potential for tsunamis, not every earthquake qualifies as a trigger. Geophysicist Douglas Given from the US Geological Survey, in an old report by Life Science had said. According to him, specific conditions must align. Firstly, the earthquake must attain a magnitude of at least 7. Secondly, its epicenter must lie beneath the ocean, and finally, the earthquake needs to be relatively shallow.

The significance of these criteria lies in their collective capacity to produce a dangerous earthquake-tsunami combination. The correlation between seismic events, geological settings, and the resulting potential for tsunamis underscores the intricate interplay of natural forces shaping our planet’s dynamic landscapes.

With inputs from agencies