Seismic Activity under the Ocean Area near Tokara Islands



From February 3, 2016 about 06 o'clock, the seismic activity has become rather high under the ocean area near Tokara Islands (near Takara-jima and Kodakara-jima), and until February 6 24 o'clock, there have been 10 earthquakes with maximum seismic intensity 1 or over (maximum seismic intensity, number of earthquakes; 3, 1; 2, 1; 1, 8). The maximum earthquake was a M2.7 one (maximum seismic intensity 3) occurring on February 3 at 06:54 (JST). In the vicinity of the recent event, 9 earthquake with maximum seismic intensity 1 or over occurred in January, this year.
For the seismic activity since October 1997, in the vicinity of the recent event (Area a), the seismic activity has been brisk and there have sometimes been earthquakes of M4.0 or over.
For the seismic activity since January 1923, in the area around the recent event (Area b), there have been 5 earthquakes of M5.5 or over. In the neighborhood of Akuseki-jima, near the epicenter of this event, 46 earthquakes with maximum seismic intensity 1 or over occurred in 1 month, October, 2000, the maximum being a M5.9 one (maximum seismic intensity 5 Upper) on October 2, 2000. This seismic activity caused damage 1 water pipe failure (Fire and Disaster Management Agency).


Japan Meteorological Agency
[Evaluation of Seismic Activities for January 2016 (February 9, 2016)]