TOKYO. A powerful magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido on Monday morning, raising concerns about the possibility of further major tremors and increasing vigilance.
The tremor, which occurred amid a series of seismic activities in recent days, signals that the risk has not yet passed.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake was centered in the southern region of Hokkaido at 5:23 AM local time. Its depth was reported to be approximately 83 kilometers, with the initial estimate of 6.1 magnitude being revised to 6.2.
Although no tsunami warning was issued following this earthquake, strong tremors were felt in the affected areas. The U.S. Geological Survey assessed the possibility of significant loss of life and property to be low due to the epicenter being near a sparsely populated area. However, JMA officials have warned of an increased risk of rockfalls and landslides in areas that experienced strong shaking.
The JMA has urged local residents to remain vigilant, stating that there is a high probability of similar-level earthquakes occurring in the coming days and weeks. A few hours earlier, another earthquake of magnitude 5.0 had occurred in the sea area a few hundred kilometers south of Hokkaido, indicating a continuous increase in seismic activity in the region.
This sequence of events follows a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck northern Iwate Prefecture last week, which, despite not causing major damage, spread fear across the country. The impact of that earthquake reached as far as the capital, Tokyo, where large buildings shook and six people were injured. Additionally, tsunami waves of about 80 centimeters in height were observed in the Iwate region, while smaller waves hit other northern areas.
The JMA had previously warned that the possibility of a powerful earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or higher was higher than normal. The current 6.2 magnitude earthquake is also considered part of that series.
Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active countries, located in the Pacific Ocean’s ‘Ring of Fire’ region. Situated at the junction of four major tectonic plates, the country experiences approximately 1,500 earthquakes annually, accounting for about 18 percent of all earthquakes worldwide.
In 2011, a devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan claimed the lives of or left missing over 18,500 people. Since then, Japan has invested heavily in earthquake preparedness and risk reduction, but recent activities indicate a need for renewed vigilance.
AloJapan.com