"All Bottled Water, Tissue, and Instant Food Sold Out"…Japan Engulfed in Fear of Major Earthquake

KMA Issues Warning for Nankai Trough Earthquake
Panic Buying of Bottled Water and Instant Food... Evacuation Shelters Already Opening

On the 8th, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Hinatanada, Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Kyushu, Japan. This event has triggered ongoing fears of a major earthquake in Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a "Nankai Trough Earthquake Temporary Information (Major Earthquake Advisory)" immediately after the earthquake on the 8th. The agency urged, "Please be cautious of earthquakes around magnitude 6 for about a week moving forward."

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated, "The government is swiftly establishing a warning system for the Nankai Trough earthquake," and added, "Please carefully check the information released by the government, reconfirm your earthquake preparedness, and be ready to evacuate immediately if an earthquake occurs."

NHK also reported on measures such as securing furniture, confirming evacuation sites, and stockpiling drinking water and food. The relevant local governments have begun preparing evacuation shelters, with Kochi Prefecture and others already opening shelters.

Damage site of the earthquake that occurred in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, last January. This photo is not directly related to the article content. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In areas affected by the earthquake, there has been a shortage panic for bottled water, instant foods, and other supplies at supermarkets. Survival tips such as "It is also good to collect tap water in buckets in preparation for emergencies" have been shared on online communities and social networking services (SNS). Experts have urged, "Please do not panic-buy groceries or disaster prevention supplies."

Domestic travelers planning to visit Japan are also concerned. Over the past few months, the Japanese yen has been trading at a lower rate against the Korean won, leading to an increase in Korean tourists visiting Japan. However, recently, posts in travel-related cafes and communities have surged, inquiring about flight ticket cancellations and hotel refunds.

The Nankai Trough is a trench located about 4,000 meters deep under the seabed between Suruga Bay in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Pacific coast east of Kyushu, where the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate meet. Earthquakes with magnitudes of 8 to 9 occur here every 100 to 150 years. The most recent example is the Showa Nankai earthquake in 1946, which had a magnitude of 8 and caused over 1,400 deaths.

Since the late 2010s, the Japanese government has estimated a 70-80% probability of a major Nankai Trough earthquake occurring within 30 years. There is a scenario in which a massive tsunami over 10 meters high could strike the Pacific coast along with severe shaking of seismic intensity 7. In such a case, the damage could exceed that of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, which resulted in about 19,000 deaths.

The Japanese government has established a system to conduct investigations if an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 or higher occurs in this area, and to either end the investigation if no abnormalities are found or issue advisories or warnings depending on the risk level. Since the government began operating this system in 2019, this is the first time related Nankai information has actually been issued.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.