A sizable 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan on Monday, shaking vast parts of Hokkaido and raising concerns from people. Although the tremor is strong, there has been no tsunami warning, giving heartening news to coastal areas, authorities said.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake hit in the early hours of the day, at a depth of approximately 80 kilometers. The agency had, initially, measured the magnitude slightly less, changing it to 6.2 on closer examination. The epicentre was also inland, which eliminated significant sea disruption risk that can spawn a tsunami.
The earthquake hit in several districts across Hokkaido, from rural to semi-urban regions. Buildings quaked for a few seconds at a time and other buildings were shaken to the point where some people said they could not return to sleep. But there have so far not been reported any major structural damage or casualties.
Local government has begun inspecting infrastructure on the ground to measure impact on roads, bridges and public utilities. Japan is among the world’s seismically active countries on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and is no stranger to earthquakes. Hundreds of minor tremors happen each year in the country, but those of stronger sorts frequently get widespread media attention because of what damage they might cause.
Japan spent decades building earthquake-resistant infrastructure and putting up modern early warning systems before and after earthquakes struck, minimizing the risk and speeding up response time. Officials have warned the public to prepare for a next quaking: “You have all the possibilities of suffering aftershocks in the days to come.”
This secondary quake will result in some minor damage, and can also add damage to structures that are already compromised. Homeowners have also received alarms that they should be on the lookout for landslides in seasonal rains in hilly or mountainous terrain.
Emergency response specialists remain on hand, and it is up to the local government to partner with national emergency agencies to assess everything. Transportation infrastructure in parts of Hokkaido was suspended temporarily as a precautionary measure, but most of the transportation services are back up and running.
The absence of tsunami warnings has been a great relief for a country that has seen disasters caused by the sea before, like the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The inland epicentre of the current quake greatly diminished the dangers of a quake in this area, officials said.
While it all appears over there and done with, experts are watching seismic activity in the area very closely. Residents are advised to stay up with official updates, have emergency kits available in close supply and be on the lookout as more is learnt.
