Island chain in Japan rocked by 900 earthquakes in 2 weeks: ‘Feels like it’s always shaking’

“Seismic activity has been very active in the seas around the Tokara island chain since June 21,” The Guardian quoted Ayataka Ebita, director of the agency’s earthquake and tsunami observation division, as saying during an emergency news conference.

According to the report, Ebita also said, “As of 4pm today, the number (of earthquakes) has exceeded 900.”

The agency said it was uncertain when the tremors would stop and advised residents to be ready to shelter or evacuate in the event of stronger quakes.

Record-breaking seismic wave

According to The Mainichi Shimbun, a Japanese daily, a record 740 quakes were registered over the 10-day period leading up to Tuesday. Each tremor measured 1 or higher on Japan’s 7-point seismic intensity scale, where 7 represents the strongest possible shaking. A lower 5 is strong enough to cause alarm and make people brace themselves.

Residents of Tokara village have reported severe disruption to their daily lives. “It feels like it’s always shaking,” one resident told regional broadcaster MBC, adding, “It’s very scary to even fall asleep.”

Another said, “It’s not clear when all this will end. I should think about whether to evacuate my kids.”

The number of daily tremors peaked at 183 on June 23, dropped to 15 and 16 on June 26 and 27, respectively, then rose again to 34 on June 28, 98 on June 29, and 62 on June 30.

The region experienced similar seismic activity in September 2023, when 346 earthquakes were recorded in the area.

About Tokara Islands

Seven of the 12 Tokara Islands are inhabited, with a total population of around 700. Experts attribute the recurring earthquakes to the area’s unusual undersea topography, which allows tectonic pressure to build and then release through frequent quakes.

Japan sits atop four major tectonic plates at the edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations. The country, home to about 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 tremors annually—approximately 18 per cent of all earthquakes worldwide.

Recent disasters underscore the risks. Nearly 600 people died when a powerful earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day in 2024. In 2011, over 18,000 lives were lost after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan and caused a triple meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

A government warning

The Japanese government has stressed the urgent need to prepare for a potential “megaquake”, predicted to strike the Pacific coast within the next three decades. A government panel in January raised the probability of a major earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough to between 75 per cent and 82 per cent over the next 30 years.

A revised estimate released in March projected that such a disaster could claim up to 298,000 lives and inflict damage totalling as much as $2 trillion.