Eric Patrick
No fewer than 470 earthquakes have shaken a remote island chain in southern Japan since Saturday, the national weather agency reported on Thursday, urging residents to remain vigilant.
No major damage has been reported from the series of quakes with a strength of at least one slightly perceptible to people seated quietly indoors on Japan’s seven-point seismic intensity scale.
As of Thursday morning, 474 such earthquakes had been observed around the Tokara island chain, south of Kyushu, the Japan Meteorological Agency said in an X post.
“Seismic activity has increased. As this region has experienced extended periods of earthquake activity in the past, please be vigilant against earthquakes that cause strong shaking,” the agency warned.
The strongest quakes recorded so far were two magnitude-5.1 events—one on Sunday and another on Tuesday, each registering an intensity of four. At this level, most people are startled, dishes may rattle, and hanging objects like lamps swing noticeably.
The recent tremors have reignited memories of a similar seismic swarm in September 2023, when 346 quakes were recorded in the Tokara region over a 15-day period, according to public broadcaster NHK.
Located south of Kyushu, the Tokara Islands are part of Kagoshima Prefecture. Seven of the 12 volcanic islands are inhabited, with a combined population of about 700 residents.
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Access is limited, with a ferry servicing the area only twice a week, weather permitting.
Marine volcanology expert and Kumamoto University associate professor, Hisayoshi Yokose, urged caution in a comment to NHK: “An earthquake of up to magnitude-6 strength could take place, so please be vigilant.”
Japan, which lies at the intersection of four major tectonic plates, is among the most seismically active countries in the world. It experiences around 1,500 quakes annually and accounts for roughly 18 percent of global seismic activity.
While most of these tremors are mild, their impact varies depending on location and depth. On January 1, 2024, over 400 people died in a powerful earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan. The disaster caused widespread destruction, fires, and infrastructure collapse as families marked the New Year.
Authorities continue to monitor the Tokara region closely amid fears of stronger quakes in the days ahead.