After the 7.5-magnitude offshore earthquake in Aomori that injured 34 people, Japan has issued a warning about a potential mega-earthquake
At least 34 people have been reported injured after a strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan late on December 8.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the earthquake occurred at 11:15 p.m. offshore the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture, with the epicenter at a depth of 54 kilometers.
The JMA warned that the situation could lead to another earthquake of similar or greater magnitude in the same area in the coming days.
This marks the first time the JMA has issued such a warning for the coastal regions of Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast, stretching from Aomori through the prefectures of Iwate and Miyagi.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on residents in the affected areas to continue monitoring information from local authorities and meteorological agencies over the next week, and to prepare for the possibility of another earthquake.
“The government is asking people to continue their economic and social activities while remaining ready to evacuate immediately if they feel any tremors,” Takaichi told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office on December 9.
Injurie were reported in Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate, while dozens of people remained in evacuation centers as of the morning of December 9.
The Japanese government said approximately 1,360 homes in Aomori and Iwate prefectures were without water due to damaged pipelines.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and local governments announced that nearly 190 schools in Aomori and Hokkaido were temporarily closed, as outside temperatures dropped to minus 7.8 degrees Celsius.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated that a Maritime Self-Defense Force air base and a Ground Self-Defense Force facility in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture—near the epicenter—had opened their doors to evacuees and had received around 620 people.
The tsunami warning for Japan’s Pacific coastal areas was downgraded to an advisory more than three hours after the earthquake and was lifted at 6:20 a.m. on December 9.
No abnormalities were reported at nuclear power plants in Hokkaido or in the northeastern prefectures of Aomori, Miyagi, and Fukushima.
At a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, a Pacific coastal village in Aomori Prefecture, water leaked from a spent fuel storage tank but did not spread outside the building.
The earthquake registered at level 6-plus on Japan’s seven-level seismic intensity scale in some areas of Aomori.
According to the JMA, the earthquake occurred along a trench running parallel offshore of Hokkaido and northeastern Japan, an area with the potential for a megaquake.
At a government press conference on the morning of December 9, Tsukasa Morikubo of the Cabinet Secretariat warned of the possibility of a mega-earthquake.
“Based on statistical data from earthquakes worldwide to date, there is a possibility that a large-scale earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher could occur within the next week along the Japan Trench and the Chishima Trench off the coast of Hokkaido. While it is still unclear whether such a large earthquake will occur, I urge everyone to take preventive measures with the awareness of protecting their own lives,” Morikubo said.
A mega-earthquake could trigger tsunamis along Japan’s Pacific coast, from Hokkaido to Chiba.
Authorities are urging residents to check evacuation routes, prepare emergency supplies, secure furniture inside their homes, and ensure sufficient stockpiles of food, water, and emergency toilet kits.
Although no evacuation order has been issued, residents along the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Chiba are advised to remain vigilant over the coming week.
This is the first mega-earthquake warning issued since this type of alert was introduced in 2022.
Source: Bao Ve Phap Luat
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