An earthquake in the Sea of ​​Japan is likely caused by waters from the Pacific Ocean

Yomiuri Shimbun

Written by Keiichi Nakane and Yoshimune Numata / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

1:00 JST, May 7, 2023

The earthquake, which registered a maximum intensity of 6 on the Japanese seismic scale of 7 in Ishikawa Prefecture on Friday afternoon, was the largest in a series of earthquakes that have occurred in and around the Noto Peninsula since late 2020.

There is a growing belief that the build-up of water deep within the Earth has pushed up bedrock and triggered seismic activity. Experts said extreme caution is required.

More than 300 earthquakes have been felt since late 2020

“There is a possibility of large-scale earthquakes in the future, so please make sure that there are no dangerous conditions around you, such as nearby cliffs,” said Toshihiro Shimoyama, chief seismic information coordinator at the Japan Meteorological Agency. At a press conference on Friday evening.

On the tip of the Noto Peninsula, several earthquakes have occurred since December 2020, and the government’s Earthquake Research Commission issued an opinion last month saying: “Seismic activity [in the area] It is expected to continue for some time to come, and caution is required against strong tremors.”

According to the agency, there were 313 marked earthquakes of magnitude 1 or greater in the region up until the most recent one. The areas where earthquakes occur most frequently move and spread clockwise from south to northeast.

The latest quake, measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale, was the largest in the chain and occurred north of the tip of the peninsula. There have been a number of earthquakes in this region since around June 2021, and in June last year, a 5.4-magnitude earthquake was observed with a maximum intensity of less than 6 on the Japanese scale.

Since the beginning of this year, earthquakes have occurred about 10 times each month. Friday’s quake came in the midst of a phase where the accident was flat. The agency explains that “seismic activity continues in the region, which makes forecasts difficult.”

Earth’s surface rose

A research team from Kanazawa University, Kyoto University and other institutions believes that one of the reasons earthquakes are so frequent is the presence of fluids, such as water, that have accumulated underground.

The Noto Peninsula extends into the Sea of ​​Japan, but groundwater is believed to eventually come from the Pacific Ocean, on the other side of the country, as the Pacific Plate sinks beneath Japan, bringing water and other fluids up with it. temperatures and pressures. The researchers said that the rise of this water may have caused the bedrock to be pushed up, or the water and other fluids may have entered a crack in the Noto region, causing it to slide and thus triggering the earthquake.

According to Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority, the land surface in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, with a maximum earthquake intensity of 6.0, has risen about 4 cm since December 2020. Experts believe this is evidence of rising water.

The research team has not yet confirmed the existence of water. However, measurements of the weak electric currents flowing underground at the tip of the peninsula indicate that there is a high probability that water and other liquids run through it.

“This is an example of seismic activity caused by water,” said Yoshihiro Hiramatsu, a professor of seismology at Kanazawa University. “It is difficult to predict when the earthquakes will subside, but there is a possibility that the earthquakes will continue for the next six months to a few years.”

A new kind of warning

In the aftermath of the Upper Six quake on Friday, the agency issued its first early earthquake warning against “long-term ground motion.”

Earth’s long-term motion is a long, slow rocking with a period (the time it takes for one complete shake back and forth) of 1.6 seconds or more. Skyscrapers and tall bridges in urban areas “echo” and vibrate greatly. The agency has established four levels of shaking, ranging from “fairly large shaking” (Category 1) to “very significant shaking” (Category 4), depending on the nature of the quake.

Since February of this year, the agency has been operating a new system to issue an early warning of earthquakes in areas expected to be hit by tremors of magnitude 3 or greater. In the last earthquake, a few seconds after seismographs detected the seismic waves, an announcement was made for the Noto area, and Category 4 shaking from long-term ground motion was predicted. In reality, though, a Class 3 shaking is observed.

Shimoyama of the Meteorological Agency said the discrepancy between the declared level and the level actually observed was “within the margin of error”. He added, “We believe that when the early warning is issued, people can take action to protect themselves. We will continue our efforts to improve accuracy.”

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos