Two Step Authentication

The powerful earthquake that jolted Japan’s northeast coast in March caused insured property losses between $2 billion and $4 billion. A huge 7.3 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Fukushima in northern Japan, generating a tsunami warning and knocking out electricity to more than 2 million residences in the Tokyo area. Northern Japan was ravaged by a horrific 9.0 earthquake and tsunami 11 years ago, which also resulted in nuclear plant meltdowns. Many Japanese pointed out that the earthquake took place just five days after the country observed the 11th commemoration of the Fukushima disaster.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a strong earthquake of 7.3 M at a depth of 63 km occurred on 16 March, 2022 at 14.36 UTC off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. The earthquake measured magnitude 7.4, strong enough to do serious structural damage, but the magnitude 9 Tohoku quake that caused the catastrophic 2011 tsunami was hundreds of times as powerful. The epicenter of the earthquake on March 16 was 20 miles off the east coast of Japan, and about 35 miles below the sea.

There were no reports of injuries after a bullet train carrying about 100 people between Fukushima and Shiroshizaou derailed. The country's Self-Defense Forces have been mobilised, according to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, to assess the damage. "The government will band together to save lives and make every effort to ensure safety and accurate information."

The earthquake was too strong in some regions for people to stand, while buildings in Tokyo shook. Tokyo's buildings shook for more than two minutes. The tremors were much stronger further north in Fukushima. There was a "thrust" mechanism in the earthquake. This signifies that one plate slid beneath another. The Pacific Plate was moving beneath the Okhotsk Plate in this example, releasing pent-up stress. Because oceanic plates are denser, they "subduct" beneath continental plates. That's still enough to flood certain low-lying areas along the coast, but Japanese infrastructure is made to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis.