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Nine people have been injured and some structural damage has affected numerous buildings throughout Japan after a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Kyushu Island on Thursday.
The epicenter was located in the Hyunganada Sea, just east of the town of Miyazaki on the island of Kyushu, and was located at a depth of around 19 miles. Strong rumbling was felt across southern Japan, while the biggest impacts were felt in the Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures. Large waves over 1.5 feet were seen in some parts of the coast and some tsunami advisories were issued, but they were quickly lifted after clear reports that the waves had calmed down. Aftershocks were expected, and several strong ones came soon after the initial quake. Overall, not much damage was done, and the nine people injured suffered relatively minor injuries.
However, this has risen a new round of concerns over possible future earthquakes. The area where the quake struck is known as the Nankai Trough, which has been the cause of multiple strong earthquakes in the past, including the 1854 Ansei-Tōkai earthquake (magnitude 8.4),1854 Ansei-Nankai (magnitude 8.4) earthquake, 1944 Tōnankai earthquake (magnitude 8.1), and the 1946 Nankaidō earthquake (magnitude 8.1-8.4). The fault is approaching a status of overdue for a major earthquake, with seismologists predicting that there is a 70-80% chance of a strong quake of magnitude 8-9 within the next 30 years.
Residents of nearby areas have been asked to stay away from the coast in case this quake was just a precursor to a possible bigger one on the way-- fears of an incoming "megaquake" are rising. Then, the nerve-wracking wait will begin until it occurs in the Nankai Trough, which could be devastating. Due to this, Japanese authorities are planning to increase earthquake and tsunami safety measures over the next few years to mitigate the impacts of a future major earthquake.
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Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): It is the work that matters, not the applause that follows.
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In a Sentence: Wanda is quick to admit that the music she prefers is fusty, as it excludes pretty much anything recorded after 1960.
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