Japanese authorities are warning that a major earthquake may be imminent. On August 8, a 7.1-magnitude quake struck the south of the country but caused only minor damage. However, in an unusual move, Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned that a “major earthquake” could follow, and the Prime Minister canceled a trip abroad so he could be at home if such a tragedy occurs.
Citizens were alarmed at the formal warning; some said they were confused by its meaning. “I am baffled with the advisory and don’t know what to make of it,” a woman told reporters. The fear is likely pervasive in a nation so used to earthquake-related heartbreak.
Around 1,500 quakes take place in Japan every year. Most of these go unnoticed, but for many Japanese, the memory of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 15,000 people still lingers. The 9-magnitude quake unleashed catastrophe, and a major tsunami caused a nuclear accident on the country’s coastline. It was the biggest earthquake disaster in Japanese history and left almost half a million people homeless.
Just a day before Japan’s 7.1-magnitude quake, a 5.2-magnitude quake registered in California, raising similar concerns there. More than 400 tremors followed, but no fatalities or damage were reported. The quake struck around 90 miles from Los Angeles, and several commentators wondered if the high number of aftershocks signaled that a major event was on its way.
California is the most vulnerable US state thanks to the presence of the San Andreas – where two tectonic plates meet. It is around 800 miles long and runs from the Mexican border, past Los Angeles, and up toward Sacramento. The last major quake was in 1906, which killed thousands in San Francisco and left almost half the city homeless. The US Geological Survey estimates there is a 60% chance that the San Andreas fault will cause a major event in Los Angeles in the next 30 years. Additionally, there is a 71% chance of a 6.7 magnitude (or greater) striking near San Francisco in the same timeframe.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services nevertheless stated that it is near-impossible to predict earthquakes.
