Over the past day, Japan and its adjacent waters have been at the epicenter of powerful seismic activity. A series of underground tremors, some exceeding magnitude 5, swept from the southern Izu Islands to the northern shores of Aomori, also affecting border territories of Russia. This is reported by Newsweek, writes UNN.
Details
The most noticeable tremors were recorded on Sunday, December 21. According to the US Geological Survey, the magnitude ranged from 4.1 to 5.4:
- North: a strong tremor of magnitude 5.4 occurred off the coast of Hachinohe, and later another of 5.1 east of Ohara.
- Center and South: the Izu Islands shook twice within six hours (magnitudes 4.1 and 4.4).
- North of Nemuro, in the area of Russian Shikotan, a "swarm" of eight earthquakes up to magnitude 5.2 was recorded.
Despite the significant number of tremors, Japanese authorities did not issue a tsunami warning. There have been no reports of critical damage or casualties so far.
Threat of a "mega-earthquake"
Scientists note that such a surge in activity in a region where several tectonic plates converge causes serious concern. Recent events have prompted officials to warn of the possibility of a strong "mega-earthquake" within a year.
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Experts emphasize: although tremors up to magnitude 5 usually do not cause catastrophic consequences in Japan's earthquake-resistant buildings, they can be precursors to much more powerful shifts. For millions of people in the risk zone, disaster preparedness remains a matter of survival.