"12m Tsunami Could Hit in 20 Minutes"... Earthquake Damage Predictions Released Near Tokyo

Significant Damage Expected from Magnitude 8.5 Earthquake off the Pacific Coast
"Measures Needed to Minimize Damage"

There are predictions that, if a massive earthquake occurs along the Pacific coast east of Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo, Japan, the death toll could exceed 50,000.

According to Kyodo News on the 26th, Chiba Prefecture analyzed the latest data and estimated that, in the event of an earthquake, a tsunami (seismic sea wave) over 12 meters high could strike the Pacific coast, resulting in up to approximately 57,200 deaths within the prefecture alone.

This is the first time Chiba Prefecture has calculated damage estimates for a scenario involving a magnitude 8.5 earthquake in this region.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Getty Images Bank

Chiba Prefecture predicted that the tsunami could reach the coast in as little as 20 minutes. In particular, tsunami waves as high as 12.8 meters in Isumi City and 12.5 meters in Choshi City are expected, with some areas likely to experience tsunamis exceeding 10 meters.

As a result, it is predicted that about 29,500 buildings would be completely destroyed. Additionally, even two weeks after the earthquake, it is estimated that around 800,000 people would still be living as evacuees.

Earthquake damage on the Noto Peninsula, Japan (January 2024). Photo by EPA Yonhap News

Furthermore, significant damage is also expected if an inland, directly beneath-type earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 occurs with its epicenter between Ichikawa City and Chiba City. Chiba Prefecture projected that up to 2,400 people could die due to building collapses and fires. An inland, directly beneath-type earthquake refers to one that originates in shallow underground areas on land, delivering a direct impact to the surface.

This is the first time in 10 years, since May 2016, that Chiba Prefecture has publicly released earthquake damage estimates. In this regard, Chiba Prefectural Governor Toshihito Kumagai told reporters, "We are assuming the worst-case scenario to raise residents' awareness." He added, "We will vigorously pursue not only disaster prevention measures to avert disasters but also 'disaster mitigation' efforts to minimize damage when disasters occur."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.