Over 2,000 Minor Earthquakes Recorded Since June 21
More than 2,000 earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 1 or higher have occurred in the Tokara Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, since June 21.
According to Kyodo News on July 14, the Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory announced that, as of this day, the number of earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 1 or higher confirmed in the waters near the Tokara Islands, Toshima Village, Kagoshima Prefecture, has surpassed 2,000 since June 21.
In the Tokara Islands, there were 30 earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 1 or higher on July 12 and 70 on July 13. On this day as well, about 20 earthquakes were recorded by 9 a.m., including a magnitude 4.2 quake observed at around 8:32 a.m.
On Akusekijima Island, part of the Tokara Islands, tremors with a seismic intensity of lower 6 were detected due to an earthquake on July 3, and on July 6, there were two tremors with a seismic intensity of upper 5.
In December 2021 and September 2023, the Tokara Islands also experienced consecutive series of more than 300 minor earthquakes each. However, the number of earthquakes in the current series has increased dramatically compared to previous events.
According to NHK, as earthquakes of varying magnitudes continued, Toshima Village arranged for residents wishing to evacuate to move to the mainland. A total of 64 people, including 49 from Akusekijima and 15 from Kodakarajima, have evacuated to hotels in Kagoshima City and other locations. As of July 12, 22 residents remain on Akusekijima and 44 on Kodakarajima.
Toshima Village authorities stated that they will decide whether residents can return to the islands if there are no earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 4 or higher for at least five days. However, since a seismic intensity 4 earthquake occurred on July 12, the decision on return is expected to be made as early as July 18.
The Tokara Islands are a group of islands belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, located between the Japanese mainland and Okinawa. As earthquakes have continued in the region since June, anxiety has spread that a major disaster could occur, fueled by the 2025 mega-earthquake prediction in "The Future I Saw: Complete Edition" by Japanese manga artist Tatsuki Ryo.
However, the Japan Meteorological Agency stated that there is no connection between the mega-earthquake theory and the earthquakes in the Tokara Islands. The agency also emphasized that it is impossible to predict earthquakes with current scientific knowledge.
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