Japan begins evacuating residents of Tokara islands, citizens fear the “big one” likely to kill more than 300,000
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Japanese authorities have begun evacuating residents of a chain of Tokara islands struck by 900 earthquakes within the past two weeks – without casualties yet, but the country has for years warned about a megaquake, the “big one” likely to kill more than 300,000 people.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said one lower-6 quake on Thursday is the first with such an intensity to be recorded in the village of Toshima since comparable data became available in 1919.
On Friday morning, residents of the village of Toshima on Akusekijima departed by ship, heading to a port in Kagoshima, where they are expected to stay in temporary accommodation.
The seismic activity has kept residents on edge.
“I was so scared, I grabbed hold of my daughter. There are still children and students on the island. I’m worried about them,” a female resident told NHK.
Another woman narrated: “It was the first time I saw an electric pole or guardrail shaking. It surprised me. It’s a relief that I can now sleep without worry.”
The ship is scheduled to reach Kagoshima Friday evening. The evacuees will stay in accommodation in the city.
The evacuation is expected to last about a week, but may vary depending on earthquake activity.
Toshima Village comprises a chain of islands which the earthquakes have shaken.
Thursday’s quake in Akusekijima registered a seismic intensity of lower 6 on the Japanese scale of zero to 7, according to NHK.
Seismic activity “very active” since June 21
CNN adds that seismic activity in the seas surrounding the sparsely populated island chain in southern Japan has been “very active” since 21 June, according to authorities. The series of tremors intensified with a magnitude 5.5 quake on Wednesday.
There have been no reports of structural damage or tsunami warnings, but residents have been advised to prepare for possible evacuation.
“It’s very scary to even fall asleep,” one resident told regional broadcaster MBC. “It feels like it’s always shaking.”
About 700 people live on seven of the 12 Tokara islands. Some of the islands lack hospitals, and the nearest medical facility is a six-hour ferry ride away in Kagoshima, the prefectural capital.
Chizuko Arikawa, a resident of Akusekijima island, described the unnerving moments before each tremor.
“You can hear a strange roar from the ocean before the quakes hit, especially at night. It’s eerie,” she told The Asahi Shimbun.
She and her husband, who run a cattle farm, say the experience has left them emotionally drained.
“Everyone’s exhausted. We just want it to stop,” she said.
Isamu Sakamoto, 60, who heads the local residents’ association, said the constant shaking has created a phantom sensation.
“After so many quakes, it now feels like the ground is shaking even when it’s not,” he said.
“The quakes start with a jolt from below, then the house sways. It’s sickening.”
Authorities said some locals in Toshima village have been struggling with sleep and fatigue. Officials also urged journalists to show restraint.
“We ask that you be considerate and not make excessive inquiries or interviews,” read a statement on the village website.
Guesthouses on the islands have paused tourist bookings, with some designated as emergency shelters.
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences around 1,500 earthquakes annually. Though tremor clusters have hit Tokara before, local reports say the current frequency is unusual.
The wave of seismic activity has coincided with rising national anxiety over a widely shared rumor predicting a major quake on 5 July.
The claim, from a 1999 comic book by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki re-released in 2021, has led to trip cancellations and unease among the public.
While most quakes in Japan are mild, the nation is no stranger to devastation.
A 2011 earthquake and tsunami killed more than 18,000 people.
Authorities have for decades feared the “big one” – a once-in-a-century megaquake that many had grown up being warned about. Worst-case scenarios predict it could leave more than 300,000 dead.
Earlier this week, the government called for new measures, such as constructing embankments and evacuation buildings, to strengthen public readiness in case of such a disaster – but it warned that much more needs to be done.
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