Japanese urged not to hoard as fears of possible megaquake spread
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Japanese authorities call on the public to refrain from excessive hoarding, as growing fears of a potential megaquake have led to a surge in demand for disaster kits and necessities.
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Map of a 5.3-magnitude earthquake that hit Tokyo after Japan issued 'mega quake' advisory on August 9, 2024. (Social media)
Japanese authorities have urged the public to avoid excessive hoarding, as fears of a potential megaquake have triggered a spike in demand for disaster kits and everyday essentials.
In an unprecedented advisory issued on Saturday, the national weather agency warned that the likelihood of a massive earthquake has increased following a magnitude 7.1 tremor in the south on Thursday, which left 14 people injured.
At a Tokyo supermarket on Saturday, a sign apologized to customers for the shortage of certain products, attributing the scarcity to “quake-related media reports.”
“Potential sales restrictions are on the way,” the sign noted, adding bottled water was already being rationed due to “unstable” procurement.
QUAKE CHAOS HITS JAPAN!
— Smriti Sharma (@SmritiSharma_) August 8, 2024
Japan rocked by TWO powerful #Earthquakes . A 7.3-magnitude quake strikes off the coast, followed by a 6.8-magnitude tremor just hours later. Tsunami fears and widespread panic grip the nation. #JapanEarthquake #TsunamiAlert
#earthquake pic.twitter.com/mKAzwP0qwW
On Saturday morning, the Rakuten website highlighted portable toilets, along with food and bottled water, as the most sought-after items. The Japanese e-commerce giant reported a surge in demand for these essentials.
Local media indicated that retailers along the Pacific coastline have also seen a spike in demand for disaster-related supplies.
The advisory focuses on the Nankai Trough subduction zone in the Pacific Ocean, a region known for generating massive earthquakes between two tectonic plates.
Destructive earthquakes with magnitudes of eight or nine have struck this zone roughly once every century. The Japanese government has previously estimated a 70 percent chance of another major quake occurring within the next 30 years.
EARTHQUAKE PREDICTION is rare if not impossible, yet Japan issued a high alert for this week following the 7.1 quake. Or did Frankie predict it first?https://t.co/cAN25oawVx https://t.co/0hLLbm18Lb pic.twitter.com/mxkUohVWp4
— Up Here My Dear (@RebeccaHarger) August 10, 2024
On January 1, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake, followed by powerful aftershocks, shook the Noto Peninsula on the Sea of Japan coast, resulting in at least 318 deaths, toppling buildings, and disrupting infrastructure.
Japan experiences hundreds of earthquakes annually, though the vast majority cause no significant damage.
However, a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake off northeastern Japan in 2011 triggered a tsunami, leaving around 18,500 people dead or missing. The tsunami also inundated the Fukushima nuclear power plant, leading to one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters.
