Earthquake hazards in the past
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Many earthquakes occur in Mie. Although there are many records on earthquakes that have hit Mie in the past, no detailed records survive. Of these, those earthquakes which may be thought of as major disasters are those having an epicenter in or near the ocean (near Tokaido and Nankaido). Both these earthquakes are accompanied by tsunamis, which have caused great disasters in the areas around the Shima Peninsula and the coast of the Kumano Sea. The following presents the disaster impact of two recent earthquakes, namely the Tonankai (1944) and Nankai (1946) earthquakes.
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Tonankai Earthquake (Dec 7 1944, 7.9-magnitude)
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Since the epicenter was close to the land, approximately 20km into the Kumano Sea, there was a lot of direct damage, as well as severe occurrences of tsunamis on the Kumano Sea coast. Within the prefecture, the earthquake was on the Japanese earthquake scale of 5 (6 in some areas), and the highest tsunami was recorded at 10 meters. 389 people died, 608 people were injured, 1627 residential houses were completed destroyed, and 4210 residential houses were partially destroyed, along will other major damage.
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“Owase hit by Tonankai Earthquake” Photo by Kanenori Ota
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“Owase hit by Tonankai Earthquake” Photo by Kanenori Ota
Since the epicenter was close to the land, approximately 20km into the Kumano Sea, there was a lot of direct damage, as well as severe occurrences of tsunamis on the Kumano Sea coast. Within the prefecture, the earthquake was on the Japanese earthquake scale of 5 (6 in some areas), and the highest tsunami was recorded at 10 meters. 389 people died, 608 people were injured, 1627 residential houses were completed destroyed, and 4210 residential houses were partially destroyed, along will other major damage.
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Nankai Earthquake (Dec 21 1946, 8.0-magnitude)
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The Nankai earthquake occurred two years after the Tonankai earthquake. As the epicenter was located 50km to the south of Cape Shiono-Misaki, the damage was smaller compared to the Tonankai earthquake. However, the scale of the earthquake in the prefecture was recorded to be a four on the Japanese earthquake scale (5 in some areas), with a tsunami 4-6 meters high. 11 people died, 35 were injured, 65 residential houses were completed destroyed, and 92 were partially destroyed.
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Preparing for a Large-scale Earthquake
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Regarding large-scale earthquakes expected to occur in the near future, 18 cities, towns, and villages in Mie are listed as Areas under Intensified Measures against Tokai Earthquakes (formally known as Areas under Intensified Measures against Earthquake Disaster Relating to Tokai Earthquake). Furthermore, all cities, towns, and villages in Mie are listed as Promotion Areas for Measures against Tonankai and Nankai Earthquake Disasters (formally known as Promotion Areas for Measures against Earthquake Disasters Relating to Tonankai and Nankai Earthquakes). Also, seismometers in Mie have recorded a large number of earthquakes large enough to feel, so it is essential that residents are prepared for unexpected earthquakes as part of their daily lives.
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