2024-01-02 19:00:00
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The dawn of the year 2024 in Japan was marked by a seismic event of considerable magnitude, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake that shook the west of the country.
This natural phenomenon not only unleashed the relentless force of tsunami waves, but also inflicted significant damage to vital infrastructure elements and highlighted the extent to which Japan is a country prone to such events.
Kyodo News via AP
A firefighter walks through the rubble after the January 1, 2024 earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.
THE BELT OF FIRE
Japan, recognized as one of the most seismically active countries in the world, is in a constant dialogue with nature in its rawest and most fearsome form: earthquakes. The key to this frequent seismic activity lies in the geographical location of Japan, located on the “Ring of Fire” or “Ring of Fire” of the Pacific.
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The Pacific Ring of Fire is a vast and prominent horseshoe-shaped geological area that extends for some 40,000 kilometers along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. This belt is famous for its intense seismic and volcanic activity, hosting approximately 75% of the world’s active volcanoes and being the scene of around 90% of the planet’s earthquakes.
The activity of the Ring of Fire is the result of the dynamics of tectonic plates. It is located on the boundaries of several large tectonic plates, including the Pacific plate, the Nazca plate, the North American plate, and the Philippine plate. The movement and interaction of these plates, especially the process of subduction—where one plate slides beneath another—generates a large amount of geological energy. This energy is released in the form of earthquakes and volcanic activity.
AP/Hiro Komae
The January 1, 2024 earthquake in Japan left severe damage such as this road near the town of Noto, northwest of Tokyo.
SUBDUCTION ZONES
This region is one of the most active on the planet in terms of geological phenomena, concentrating some of the most significant subduction zones in the world. These subduction zones are areas where tectonic plates meet and one of them, denser, submerges under the other, generating intense seismic and volcanic activity.
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Concretely, the dense and heavy Pacific plate sinks beneath the Japanese islands, a less dense plate. This process, known as subduction, causes collisions between both plates, releasing energy in the form of earthquakes.
The interaction of these tectonic plates can vary. Sometimes they slide relatively calmly, generating minor tremors. Other times, parts of this zone become blocked, building up tension that is eventually released in a significant earthquake, causing ruptures and abrupt movements in the Earth’s crust.
Subduction zones like those around Japan are not only prone to earthquakes, but also give rise to additional geological phenomena, such as ocean trenches. These deep depressions in the seabed are a distinctive feature of these areas.
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The journal ‘Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A’ published a study in 2015 which highlighted the tendency of subduction zones around Japan to repeatedly experience earthquakes of magnitude greater than 8. This pattern reflects the intense geological activity that defines the Japanese archipelago.
This scenario turns Japan into a natural laboratory for the study of earthquakes and disaster mitigation measures. The nation has developed advanced technologies and early warning systems, as well as emergency response protocols, in an effort to coexist with this inescapable geological reality. Japan’s resilience and adaptability in the face of these natural challenges offer valuable lessons for other earthquake-prone regions around the world.
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