Japan Prepares for Possible Megaquake: Prime Minister Cancels Trip
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has cancelled his planned trip to Central Asia next week. This decision follows an advisory from the Japan Meteorological Agency warning of a potential massive earthquake along the Pacific coast.
Recent Earthquakes
On Thursday, a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s southern coast. Tsunami waves of up to 1.6 feet were detected along parts of Kyushu’s southern coast and the nearby island of Shikoku. The quake most strongly affected Nichinan city and nearby areas in Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu. There were reports of broken windows at the Miyazaki airport near the epicenter.
On Friday, another earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.3 jolted areas near Tokyo. This quake, which struck at 7:57 p.m., measured at a lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in western Kanagawa Prefecture. The focus of the quake was 13 kilometers underground, and no tsunami warning was issued. Central Japan Railway Co. temporarily halted its Tokaido Shinkansen Line bullet train service between Shinagawa and Shizuoka stations.
Potential Megaquake
The Japan Meteorological Agency has predicted a higher-than-usual probability of a megaquake around the Nankai Trough. The Nankai Trough is an ocean-floor trench along the Pacific coast of Japan, where the Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates intersect. Experts warn that a magnitude 8 to 9 earthquake could occur along the Nankai Trough in the coming decades, potentially causing widespread damage and tsunami waves as high as over 30 meters.
Japan, a quake-prone nation, sits on the ‘Ring of Fire.’ An earthquake on January 1 this year in Japan’s north-central region of Noto left an estimated over 240 people dead.
Doubts Revealed
Prime Minister -: The Prime Minister is the leader of the government in a country. In Japan, the Prime Minister is Fumio Kishida.
Central Asia -: Central Asia is a region in the middle of Asia, which includes countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and others.
Pacific coast -: The Pacific coast is the area of land next to the Pacific Ocean. In Japan, this includes many important cities and towns.
Japan Meteorological Agency -: The Japan Meteorological Agency is a group that studies the weather and natural events like earthquakes in Japan.
megaquake -: A megaquake is a very large and powerful earthquake that can cause a lot of damage.
Nankai Trough -: The Nankai Trough is a deep underwater trench off the coast of Japan where big earthquakes can happen.
7.1 magnitude earthquake -: An earthquake’s magnitude tells us how strong it is. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake is very strong and can cause a lot of damage.
tsunami waves -: Tsunami waves are huge ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes. They can flood and damage coastal areas.
5.3 magnitude quake -: A 5.3 magnitude quake is a medium-strength earthquake. It can cause some damage but is not as strong as a 7.1 magnitude quake.
Tokyo -: Tokyo is the capital city of Japan and one of the largest cities in the world.