北海道ほっかいどう 震度しんど4相次あいつぐ 日頃ひごろから備そなえ進すすめるよう呼よびかけ 気象庁きしょうちょう

Since May, there have been a series of earthquakes in Hokkaido registering a seismic intensity of 4, including the one early in the morning on the 2nd with its epicenter off the coast of Tokachi, Hokkaido.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says that the earthquake is not large enough to trigger other earthquakes, but also notes that massive earthquakes have occurred along the Kuril Trench in the past, and urges people to be prepared on a regular basis.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, before 4 a.m. on the 2nd, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 occurred off the coast of Tokachi.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3 occurred, and a seismic intensity of 4 was observed in Hokkaido.

It is believed to have occurred at the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the continental plate.

On May 31, there was a magnitude 6 earthquake off the coast of Kushiro, about 100 kilometers to the northeast.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 0 has occurred, and a seismic intensity of 4 has been observed in Hokkaido.

In addition, on the Pacific side of Hokkaido, a seismic intensity of 4 was observed in earthquakes off the coast of Urakawa on May 23 and in the southern Tokachi region on May 26.

The Japan Meteorological Agency believes that these earthquakes are not related, as their magnitudes are not large enough to trigger other quakes and the epicenters are far apart from each other.

On the other hand, it is said that a large-scale earthquake could occur along the Kuril Trench at any time.

In 2003, a magnitude 8 earthquake that registered a lower 6 on the Japanese seismic scale was observed in Hokkaido.

The Tokachi-Oki Earthquake of 0 occurred.

Also, magnitude 7 earthquakes have occurred in the Kuril Trench, the Japan Trench, and their surrounding areas.

If an earthquake of magnitude 0 or higher occurs, the Japan Meteorological Agency will issue a Hokkaido/Sanriku Offshore Subsequent Earthquake Advisory, as the likelihood of a major earthquake occurring afterward increases.

The Japan Meteorological Agency is urging people to make preparations on a regular basis.

The Hokkaido and Sanriku Offshore Subsequent Earthquake Advisory is an alert introduced in 2022 after discussions among experts in a government panel, based on cases where massive earthquakes occurred following major earthquakes in the past—for example, a magnitude 7-class earthquake struck two days before the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

The Kuril Trench, the Japan Trench, and magnitude 7 earthquakes in those areas and their surroundings.

If an earthquake of magnitude 0 or higher occurs, an announcement will generally be made about two hours later, warning that the likelihood of a subsequent major earthquake is higher than usual and urging caution.

The target areas are the 182 municipalities in Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Chiba, where tsunami of over 3 meters or shaking of lower 6 or higher on the seismic intensity scale are expected.

We are not calling for any advance evacuation.

For about a week after the announcement, you are asked to maintain your daily life while being prepared to evacuate at any time.

Expert: I would like everyone to once again check their personal preparedness. Professor Hiroaki Takahashi of the Graduate School of Science at Hokkaido University commented on the recent earthquake, saying, The Pacific side of Hokkaido is originally an area with a lot of earthquakes even compared to the rest of the country, so there is no need to be overly concerned.

On top of that, they are urging people to once again check their surroundings and make sure they are prepared, such as not placing things in high places, because most earthquakes occur suddenly without any warning signs, so that you can evacuate immediately even if a strong tremor hits.