Japan on Thursday lifted a megaquake advisory that was issued last week. Photo by Jiji Press/EPA-EFE
Japan Thursday lifted a week-long megaquake advisory that urged increased preparedness for a possible huge earthquake along the country’s coast.
The advisory was ended after monitoring showed no new seismic activity in the vicinity of the Nankai Trough. Advertisement
“We urge the public to remain prepared, as the possibility of a major temblor has not been eliminated,” disaster management minister Yoshifumi Matsumura said during a Thursday press conference.
In 2012 the Japanese government estimated up to 323,000 people could be killed or go missing should a megaquake strike in the Nankai Trough.
Potential damages were estimated at $1.36 trillion.
The Nankai Trough is a trench along the ocean floor located between Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates. It runs along Japan’s Pacific coast.
During the advisory, 707 municipalities across 29 prefectures were instructed by Japan’s Meteorological Agency to reinforce disaster safety preparations to make sure people in the area could evacuate quickly if a massive earthquake hit.
While the advisory was lifted, the government urged residents to stay vigilant and remain prepared.
A megaquake would cause an expected tsunami of over 37 yards high in Kuroshio in western Japan’s Kochi Prefecture. Advertisement
Kochi has set up more than a hundred evacuation centers.
Based on its history, major earthquakes are expected to happen around the Nankai Trough every 100-150 years. It’s been about 80 years since the most recent major earthquake in that region.
When the megaquake advisory was issued University of Tokyo professor emeritus Naoshi Hirata said the chances of a major quake in the Nankai Trough area were greater than usual.
“The possibility of a (Nankai Trough) earthquake occurring is now several times higher than usual,” he said. “We can’t tell exactly when or where a megaquake will occur, but we want people to reaffirm their preparedness.”
