A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake has struck northern Japan, specifically 11 miles west of Sarabetsu on Hokkaido island. The earthquake, which was inland and occurred at a depth of 50 miles, took place early on Monday. Fortunately, there was no tsunami advisory issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
This earthquake follows a 7.7-magnitude offshore earthquake on April 20, which led Japan to warn of a slightly increased risk of a potential megaquake in the country’s northeastern coastal areas. The Cabinet Office and the JMA indicated a 1% chance of a megaquake occurring in the week following the previous quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches, compared to the usual 0.1% chance during normal times.
Although the advisory was not a prediction, officials urged residents in 182 towns along the northeastern coasts to enhance their preparedness while maintaining their daily routines. This was the second advisory issued for the region in recent months, with the previous one following a 7.5-magnitude quake in December, which did not result in a megaquake.
The JMA clarified that the latest earthquake happened outside the area covered by the advisory, and the special alert week would conclude as scheduled. Notably, it has been 15 years since a devastating 9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit northern Japan on March 11, 2011, causing over 22,000 fatalities and displacing nearly half a million individuals from their homes.