Japan Issues Megaquake Advisory After 7.5 Tremor; Possible 98-Foot Tsunami, 2 Lakh Deaths Feared

A day after an offshore Aomori earthquake at Hokkaido that measured 7.5 on the Richter scale and resulted in 34 minor injuries and damaged roads and buildings, Japan has issued a megaquake alert.

Officials said that the advisory is not a foretelling of events, but they still referred to it as a 1% chance of an 8.0 or above quake. Consequently, the memo was termed by the officials as a vital guidance to the public in case the horrible 2011 Tōhoku catastrophe, which took away almost 20,000 lives, would happen again.

Increased Risk of a Larger Quake

Japan's meteorological agency has made an announcement that the probability of a stronger earthquake, one with a magnitude of 8 or above on the Richter scale, is highly likely during the next week due to the movements of the Earth in the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench areas which have a history of major earthquakes.

Residents along the Hokkaido and Sanriku coast were urged to keep emergency bags ready and remain prepared to evacuate immediately.

Tectonic Stress Rising

Experts noted that the 2011 quake was preceded by a 7.3-magnitude tremor just two days earlier—similar to Monday’s seismic pattern. Both regions lie atop the Pacific Plate, notorious for generating some of the world’s largest earthquakes.

Government Forecasts Massive Impact

Japan’s government warned that a potential offshore megaquake in the region could trigger:

Tsunami waves up to 98 feet (30 metres)

Around 2 lakh deaths

Up to 2.2 lakh houses destroyed

Economic losses reaching $198 billion (31 trillion yen)

42,000 people at risk of hypothermia during winter

The advisory now covers 182 municipalities across Hokkaido to Chiba. Local governments have begun checking relief supplies and preparing evacuation centres.