09/08/2024
5 Facts About the Strong Earthquake in Japan Triggering Tsunami Warnings
Tokyo - A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the southwest coast of Kyushu Island, Japan. The quake hit in the afternoon, precisely at 4:42 PM local time.
According to AFP and Reuters, Thursday (8/8/2024), based on the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was centered at a depth of 25 km below sea level.
Japanese national television, NHK, reported that the earthquake triggered tsunami warnings for several regions. Tsunami warnings were issued for the Kyushu and Shikoku regions.
It was reported that tsunami waves up to one meter high were expected or had already hit coastal areas in these two regions following the earthquake.
1. Government Forms Earthquake Task Force
The Japanese government has formed a special task force to respond to the earthquake in its territory. Japan is known as one of the most tectonically active countries in the world.
This is due to Japan's location on four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The island nation, home to around 125 million people, experiences about 1,500 tremors each year.
Japan accounts for approximately 18% of the world's earthquakes.
2. Residents Urged to Avoid the Coast
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the earthquake triggered tsunami warnings for coastal areas of Japan. Local residents were urged to stay away from coastal areas.
"Tsunamis may occur repeatedly. Please do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted," said JMA in a statement on the social media platform X.
So far, there have been no reports of damage or casualties caused by the earthquake. Japanese government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said that the impact on people and property was still being assessed by local authorities.
"In light of this situation, the prime minister (Fumio Kishida) instructed (officials) to provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding tsunamis and evacuations," he said.
3. Japan's Earthquake Does Not Trigger Tsunami in Indonesia
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) confirmed that this earthquake does not trigger a tsunami threat in Indonesia. Although the earthquake was a shallow one.
"Considering the location of the epicenter and its depth, this is a shallow earthquake likely triggered by subduction activity in the Nankai Trough with a thrust fault mechanism," said Daryono, Head of BMKG's Earthquake and Tsunami Center, to reporters on Thursday (8/8).
He further explained that the earthquake was felt most strongly in Miyazaki Prefecture. This earthquake had an intensity scale of VI-VII MMI and had the potential to cause damage.
He explained that the earthquake could trigger a tsunami. However, he assured that this earthquake would not cause a tsunami in Indonesia.
"BMKG's tsunami modeling using TOAST indicates that this earthquake could trigger a tsunami with a cautious threat of less than half a meter (< 0.5 meters) near the epicenter and does not pose a tsunami threat in Indonesia," he said.
4. Small Tsunami Generated
In an initial report, JMA mentioned that tsunami waves up to one meter high were expected to hit some coastal areas on Kyushu and Shikoku Islands. JMA also stated that small tsunamis could occur in the Chiba area, 850 kilometers from the earthquake's epicenter.
"Tsunamis may occur repeatedly. Please do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted," JMA said via the social media platform X.
However, according to JMA's latest report, several small tsunami waves with heights of 50 cm, 20 cm, and 10 cm were detected and had hit several coastal areas, including Miyazaki Port, about an hour after the earthquake struck.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center separately issued a warning stating that dangerous tsunami waves could occur up to 300 kilometers from the earthquake's epicenter in Japan.
5. Nuclear Reactors in the Affected Area Declared Safe
The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that no abnormalities were detected at nuclear power plants in the earthquake-affected area.
The Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed that all 12 nuclear reactors, including three that are currently operational, in the Kyushu and Shikoku regions remained in safe condition.
Earthquakes in areas with nuclear power plants have been a major concern since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011, leading to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
