“Nankai Trough”: The point that could trigger a major disaster in Japan.
After Japan raised the risk level of “Megaquake”, it caused a lot of anxiety among the Japanese people. The big earthquake that will happen is expected to come from the movement of the Nankai Trench or “Nankai Basin”, the point that will cause Japan to face a big disaster.
What is the Nankai Trough?
The Nankai Basin is a deep U-shaped trench with a depth of up to 4,000 meters. It is an area where large earthquakes and tsunamis occur in Japan. This is because it is a major fault line that is a subduction zone of the Pacific Ocean plate, which is more than 800 kilometers long. The two plates are the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
The two plates are moving at a rate of 3-5 centimeters per year. When the Philippine Plate subducts under the Eurasian Plate, excessive pressure builds up, causing the Eurasian Plate to bounce up, causing earthquakes.
The Nankai Trough is located in the southern part of Honshu, near major Japanese cities such as Osaka and Nagoya.
What happens when the Nankai Basin Fault moves?
- A massive earthquake: If the Nankai Basin Fault moves, it could cause a massive earthquake of megathrust magnitude or larger than 8.0. It usually occurs every 100-150 years. The last major earthquake occurred about 78 years ago, which is close to the time frame for this earthquake.
- Tsunami: When a large earthquake occurs, the most common effect is a “tsunami” that causes widespread impacts, especially along the coast of Japan.
Regarding the possible future large earthquakes, the Japan Earthquake Research Commission has revealed that a large earthquake may occur within the next 30 years! With a maximum chance of occurring of 82%.
How is Japan preparing for a possible future disaster?
A panel of experts from the Japan Meteorological Agency has urged the public to be on the lookout for large earthquakes, following the advice of relevant agencies. Japan has prepared for a major earthquake as follows:
1. Install a modern earthquake and tsunami warning system.
2. Continuously practice evacuating people in risk areas.
3. Each building in Japan can withstand more earthquake tremors.
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