“Preparing for future M7 class earthquakes and tsunamis” Government Earthquake Research Commission

Regarding the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture on the 20th of this month, the government's Earthquake Research Committee has been careful about shaking with a maximum seismic intensity of about 5 or more for about a week, and in the future, the magnitude that will bring about even stronger shaking. We are calling for renewed preparations for shaking and tsunamis, as there is a possibility of a 7-class earthquake.

The Earthquake Research Committee of the Government's Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion held an extraordinary meeting from the evening of the 22nd to analyze the observation data in response to the earthquake off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture that occurred on the 20th of this month.

This earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Pacific plate and the land side plate, and part of the displaced area was the epicenter of the "Miyagiken-oki Earthquake" that occurred 43 years ago in 1978 and 1978. It means that it may overlap on the west side.

In this area, it is said that an earthquake with a magnitude of around 7.4 will occur with a probability of 60% to 70% within 30 years, and detailed examination is required in the future.

In addition, as a result of analyzing the aftershocks of this earthquake, the number of earthquakes with a magnitude of 3 to 4 is relatively high compared to the occurrence of small earthquakes with a magnitude of 1 or so. It was also pointed out that even stronger shaking could occur.

In response to this, the Earthquake Research Committee is careful about shaking with a maximum seismic intensity of about 5 or more for about a week in areas where the shaking was strong, and in the future, it will also be a magnitude 7 class earthquake that will cause even stronger shaking and tsunami. You need to be careful.

Naoshi Hirata, chairman of the Earthquake Research Committee and a member of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, said, "There is a possibility that a magnitude 7 class Miyagiken-oki earthquake may occur due to the impact of a huge earthquake off the coast of Tohoku. Please be careful. "