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On 8 August 2024, at 16:42:55 JST (07:42 UTC), a Mw 7.1 earthquake struck in the Hyūga Sea off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Nichinan.[1]
   | |
| UTC time | 2024-08-08 07:42:55 |
|---|---|
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 8 August 2024 |
| Local time | 16:42:55 JST |
| Magnitude | 7.1 MJMA 7.1 Mw |
| Depth | 25 km (16 mi) |
| Epicenter | 31°43′08″N 131°31′37″E / 31.719°N 131.527°E |
| Areas affected | Kyushu, Japan |
| Max. intensity | JMA 6− (MMI VII) |
| Tsunami | 50 cm (1.6 ft) |
| Casualties | 12+ injured |
Tectonic setting
editThe Hyūga Sea is located at the southwestern end of the Nankai Trough, an active subduction zone. The Nankai Trough represents the plate boundary where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate. The area is associated with large earthquakes in 1968 (Mw 7.5) and 1996 (Mw 6.7 and 6.8). The Hyūga Sea is interpreted as a transition zone between the highly coupled Nankai Trough in the northeast and weakly coupled Ryukyu Trench further southwest.[2] The 1968 and 1996 earthquakes were subduction zone events occurring on the plate boundary. About 2 km (1.2 mi) beneath the seafloor, low-frequency earthquakes occur near the shallow subduction interface. Beneath the east coast of Kyushu, on the deeper part of the subduction zone, slow slip events were detected between 1996 and 2017.[3]
Earthquake
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The United States Geological Survey reported a magnitude (Mww ) of 7.1, at a depth of 25 km (16 mi) and a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of VII (Very Strong).[1]
The USGS initially reported two separate events, measuring magnitudes 7.1 and 6.9 respectively. This was later fixed.[4]
| Intensity | Prefecture | Locations |
|---|---|---|
| 6− | Miyazaki | Nichinan |
| 5+ | Miyazaki | Miyazaki, Kushima, Miyakonojō |
| Kagoshima | Ōsaki | |
| 5− | Miyazaki | Mimata, Kunitomi, Shintomi, Takanabe, Takaharu, Kobayashi |
| Kagoshima | Soo, Kanoya, Kimotsuki, Higashikushira, Tarumizu, Kirishima, Kagoshima, Aira |
Tsunami
editA tsunami advisory was issued after the earthquake. It covered Kōchi, Ehime, Oita, Miyazaki and Kagoshima Prefectures[6] and predicted waves of up to 3.3 feet.[7] Tsunami waves measuring 50 cm (1.6 ft) were subsequently observed in Miyazaki, while waves measuring 20 cm (0.66 ft) were observed in Kōchi.[6] The advisories were lifted at 22:00 JST.[8]
Impact
editThe earthquake injured at least 12 people and destroyed two houses across Kyushu.[9] Five people were injured in Miyazaki Prefecture; two each in Nichinan and Miyazaki and another in Miyakonojō. A section of National Route 220 was closed due to rockfalls. In Miyazaki, a house partially collapsed and Miyazaki Airport received minor damage. Two flights each of All Nippon Airways and Solaseed Air were canceled, and some flights of Japan Airlines from the airport were delayed. Water pipe leaks occurred in Kushima. In Kagoshima Prefecture, two people were injured, a two-story house collapsed in Ōsaki, and a landslide was reported in Shibushi. Two people were injured in Kumamoto Prefecture.[10][11]
Shinkansen services along the Kyushu and Nishi Kyushu lines were suspended, along with a ferry service from Kobe to Miyazaki. No abnormalities were detected at the Ikata and Sendai Nuclear Power Plants located near the epicenter.[6]
Aftermath
editFollowing the earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a warning that a probability of a "mega earthquake" along the Nankai Trough was now "relatively higher" in what was the first advisory of its kind, but clarified that it was not imminent.[4][12] In response, the Central Japan Railway Company ordered trains at the Tokaido Shinkansen line to run at a slower pace for a week.[13]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b ANSS. "M 7.1 - 20 km NE of Nichinan, Japan 2024". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ Asano, Youichi; Obara, Kazushige; Matsuzawa, Takanori; Hirose, Hitoshi; Ito, Yoshihiro (2015). "Possible shallow slow slip events in Hyuga-nada, Nankai subduction zone, inferred from migration of very low frequency earthquakes". Geophysical Research Letters. 42 (12): 331–338. Bibcode:2015GeoRL..42..331A. doi:10.1002/2014GL062165.
- ^ Ioki, Kei; Yamashita, Yusuke; Kase, Yoshihiro (2023). "Effects of the Tsunami Generated by the 1662 Hyuga-Nada Earthquake off Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan". Pure and Applied Geophysics. 180 (6): 1897–1907. Bibcode:2023PApGe.180.1897I. doi:10.1007/s00024-022-03198-3. hdl:2433/284057.
- ^ a b Osaki, Tomohiro (8 August 2024). "7.1-magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Japan". Barron's. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Earthquake information". Japan Meteorological Agency. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "M7.1 quake hits southwestern Japan, 0.5-meter tsunami observed". Kyodo News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Strong earthquake with 7.1 magnitude hits off southern Japan, prompts tsunami advisory". CBS News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Megaquake advisory issued, tsunami advisories lifted". NHK. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ 震度６弱地震で負傷者１２人と防災相 [12 Injured in Magnitude 6 Quake, says Disaster Management Minister]. Ehime Shimbun (in Japanese). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ 【被害】宮崎 日南市で2人けが 各地で住宅被害も [Damage: Two people were injured in Nichinan City, Miyazaki, Japan, and damage to houses in various areas.] (in Japanese). NHK. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ 最大震度6弱を観測 宮崎県内の地震被害まとめ（午後６時半時点） [Summary of earthquake damage in Miyazaki Prefecture (as of 6:30 p.m.), with a maximum intensity of 6] (in Japanese). TBS. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Japan sees higher-than-usual risk of megaquake off Pacific Coast". Kyodo News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "M7.1 quake hits southwestern Japan, megaquake fear grows". Kyodo News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.