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The Japan Meteorological Agency reported on Thursday that at least 470 earthquakes have occurred in a remote island chain in southern Japan since Saturday, urging residents to stay alert.
So far, no significant damage has been noted from the tremors, which were at least of a magnitude that is barely felt indoors according to Japan’s seven-point seismic intensity scale. By Thursday morning, there had been 474 recorded earthquakes around the Tokara island chain, situated south of Kyushu.
The agency stated, "Seismic activity has increased. This region has a history of prolonged earthquake activity, so please remain vigilant for potentially strong shaking."
The strongest earthquakes recorded since Saturday were two quakes of magnitude 5.1, one occurring on Sunday and the other on Tuesday, each reaching a seismic intensity of four on the Japanese scale, which is characterized by significant movement that startles most people and causes dishes to rattle or hanging objects to sway noticeably.
A similar surge in seismic activity was observed in the Tokara area back in September 2023, with 346 earthquakes occurring in a span of 15 days, according to public broadcaster NHK. Among the 12 remote Tokara Islands, seven are inhabited, home to around 700 residents.
The islands, some of which have active volcanoes, can be accessed by a ferry that operates twice a week in favorable weather conditions. Hisayoshi Yokose, a marine volcanology expert and associate professor at Kumamoto University, advised NHK that an earthquake of up to magnitude 6 might occur, urging vigilance.
Japan, one of the most seismically active nations globally, lies atop four major tectonic plates along the western Pacific's "Ring of Fire." The archipelago, with around 125 million inhabitants, experiences about 1,500 tremors annually, contributing to roughly 18 percent of the world's earthquakes.
While most quakes are mild, the extent of the damage can vary based on their location and depth.
On January 1, 2024, over 400 fatalities resulted from a major earthquake in the Noto Peninsula, including fatalities linked to the quake itself and those killed directly due to the disaster.
The quake and its aftershocks devastated infrastructure, caused fires, and toppled buildings during a time when families were celebrating the New Year.
