Japan prepares for possible ‘megaquake', releases readiness plan to reduce death toll up to 300,000 people
According to a government panel, there is now an 82 per cent chance of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 or higher occurring in the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years. This marks a rise from the previous estimate of 75 per cent.
Japan's Earthquake Research Committee has warned that such a quake, along with the resulting tsunami, could lead to as many as 298,000 deaths and cause damage worth up to 2 trillion US dollars.
The Japanese government first introduced a national preparedness plan in 2014 through the Central Disaster Management Council, aiming to reduce earthquake-related deaths by 80 per cent. However, taking into account the latest projections, officials now believe the current plan would only cut fatalities by around 20 per cent.
In response, the updated strategy calls for increased efforts to build embankments, improve evacuation infrastructure, and conduct more regular disaster drills.
"It is necessary for the nation, municipalities, companies and non-profits to come together and take measures in order to save as many lives as possible," Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was quoted as saying by local media.
Under the revised plan, the government aims to reduce the death toll by 80 per cent and the number of destroyed homes by 50 per cent in the event of a Nankai Trough earthquake.
Japan lies in one of the world's most seismically active zones. Historical data shows that a megaquake has struck the Nankai Trough roughly every 100 to 200 years over the past 1,400 years. The last such event occurred in 1946, with an estimated magnitude between 8.1 and 8.4.
In 2011, Japan experienced its strongest-ever earthquake - a magnitude 9.0 to 9.1 undersea megathrust event that triggered a devastating tsunami and nuclear crisis.
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