Japan, a country that is repeatedly hit by earthquakes, may be facing a new disaster. The Nankai Trench, a deep-sea trench about 900 kilometers long along the south coast of the island of Honshu, is currently showing worrying activity. This region is particularly explosive because it is close to the densely populated metropolis of Tokyo, where millions of people live and work.
In the past, major earthquakes have occurred in this region about every 100 years. The last major quake was about 80 years ago, and seismologists are now warning that another strong earthquake could be imminent. Scientists agree: it is not a question of if a devastating earthquake will occur, but when.
Last Thursday, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 shook the region. This quake occurred exactly where the Nankai Fault runs. Experts fear that this earthquake could be a harbinger of an even stronger quake. Panic broke out among the population. Many people flocked to supermarkets to stock up on supplies, fearing that an even bigger quake could be imminent. The government called on the population to remain calm and refrain from panic buying, as this would only make the situation worse.
Why is this region so dangerous? The Nankai Trench marks the boundary between the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate. These tectonic plates move towards each other, building up enormous tensions that are ultimately released in the form of earthquakes. Particularly threatening is the possibility of a so-called "megathrust" earthquake, in which a large-scale shift occurs along the plate boundary. Such earthquakes can cause massive destruction and trigger tsunamis.
History shows that Japan has been hit by such disasters several times. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 claimed around 140,000 lives and destroyed large parts of Tokyo. Another example is the Kobe earthquake of 1995, which also had devastating effects.
In view of the current situation, experts are calling for precautionary measures to be stepped up. Emergency plans are being updated, evacuation drills are being carried out and the population is being informed about what to do in the event of an earthquake. Nevertheless, uncertainty remains high and many people live in constant fear of the day when the next big quake will occur.
While science can warn of the impending danger, it cannot predict the exact timing of such an event. So Japan must prepare for the worst and hope that there is still enough time to adapt to the impending disaster. Overall, the current situation at the Nankai Fault shows how fragile the balance between tectonic forces is and how serious the threat to Japan really is. It is no longer a question of whether a mega-earthquake will occur - it is more a question of how well the country is prepared for it when it does happen.