Japan has announced the cancellation of its warning about the risk of a megaquake following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off the northern coast of the country last week.
Japan lifted its large earthquake warning today after the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) had alerted the public about a potential megaquake following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off the country's northern coast on 8 December. The quake generated a tsunami wave up to about 70 centimeters high and injured more than 40 people. However, no severe damage to buildings or infrastructure has been reported, according to information from the JMA and Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA).
Following the tremor, JMA issued an unusual special warning stating there was an increased risk of a megaquake—defined as an earthquake magnitude 8.0 or higher—occurring in the northern region of Japan.
Scientists noted that after an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or greater, there is about a 1% chance that a megaquake will occur within seven days, leading to advisories for residents to prepare emergency bags in case urgent evacuation becomes necessary.
However, Issei Suganuma, a JMA official, told AFP that although the special warning period ended at midnight, this does not mean that further earthquakes will not occur, urging the public to remain vigilant and prepared at all times.
JMA added that the risk of a megaquake off the northern coast of Japan remains above normal levels but is expected to gradually decrease over time.
According to Japan's disaster prevention guidelines announced last March, if a megaquake occurs offshore in the Hokkaido–Sanriku region—the area under the latest warning—it could generate a tsunami as high as 30 meters. In the worst-case scenario, this could lead to as many as 199,000 deaths, destroy over 220,000 homes and buildings, and cause economic damage amounting to 31 trillion yen, or about 200 billion US dollars.
Source:channelnewsasia
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