Despite social media posts, scientists say there is no increase in earthquakes

Every time there's an earthquake in Japan, social media is filled with posts saying things like: “There's been a lot of earthquakes recently, haven't there?”

Scientists who already know about such things say statistics show no recent increase in the frequency of earthquakes. But they warn of waves of earthquake-related information online, which is often inaccurate or blatantly false, and which can affect people's perceptions of seismic activity.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 89 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4 or higher on the 7-magnitude Japanese seismic scale were detected across the country from January to the end of April this year. The JMA said an intensity of 4 creates shaking that “surprises most people.”

During the same period of the past three years, the number of earthquakes with magnitude 4 or higher was nine in 2023, 22 in 2022, and 21 in 2021.

The number 89 stands out for this year.

Many posts on X say, “There have been a lot of earthquakes recently, haven't there?” (Ryo Aoyama)

But 66 of those tremors were linked to the devastating Noto Peninsula earthquake that struck on New Year's Day.

If those earthquakes are deducted from the total, 2024 has been a fairly normal year so far.

Naoshi Hirata, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo who heads the central government's Earthquake Research Committee, was asked about this at a news conference in April.

“If you look at the statistics, there is no indication that earthquakes are very frequent right now,” Hirata said.

From May 2014 to April 2024, Japan recorded 717 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher.

In the previous ten-year period, from May 2004 to April 2014, the number of these earthquakes reached 831. In the decade before that, from May 1994 to April 2004, the number was 701 earthquakes.

The numbers have generally remained unchanged so far this century.

Even in the world of seismology, which analyzes earthquakes on a long-term scale, such as 100 years, “it is normal for earthquakes to occur with this frequency in Japan,” Hirata noted.

Katsuya Yamori, a professor at Kyoto University's Disaster Prevention Research Institute and an expert in disaster prevention psychology, had a theory about why some social media users feel there are more earthquakes these days.

“This may be because people have come to experience earthquakes as a social phenomenon,” he said.

Yamori said that if a major earthquake struck Japan in the Edo period (1603-1867), when there was no Internet or television, people in remote areas would not “experience” the quake.

In contrast, “people who live in an online community are exposed to earthquakes through the words, actions, and images of others on television and the Internet, even if they do not feel the tremors themselves or see the collapsing buildings in front of them,” Yamori says. He said.

Moreover, smartphones and social media have become popular communication tools, and news websites and disaster prevention apps have been enhanced.

“People have more opportunities to learn about earthquake-related information in remote areas, so they now encounter earthquakes not only as natural phenomena but also as social phenomena,” Yamori said.

In other words, the “recent increase in earthquakes” has more to do with “the increase in publications and information about earthquakes,” he said.

Although it is helpful for people to share their earthquake stories to raise awareness about disaster preparedness, equating online information with real experiences can be dangerous.

After the Noto Peninsula earthquake, many false rescue requests were posted on social media.

Uploaded images of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and the 2004 Kumamoto Earthquake were incorrectly described as damage on the Noto Peninsula.

Many people thought this fake information was real and spread it out of good faith.

Satoshi Harada, who heads the JMA's earthquake and tsunami monitoring department, urges people to “improve their daily preparedness instead of getting scared because they think there are more earthquakes happening.”

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