The plot of a Japanese manga has performed a giant function in fuelling on-line rumours a few “megaquake” placing Japan on Saturday, triggering concern amongst some Hongkongers and a decline in curiosity in journeys to the nation, a massively fashionable vacation spot for residents.
However are the claims made by the comedian e-book artist, primarily based on her goals, attainable? The Submit has gathered knowledgeable opinions to debunk the hypothesis.
1. Why have considerations about megaquakes arisen?
The Japan Meteorological Company final August issued its first-ever “megaquake advisory”, saying that there was a 70 to 80 per cent likelihood of a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake related to the Nankai Trough occurring throughout the subsequent 30 years.
It issued the advisory after warning {that a} magnitude 7.1 quake that struck Japan on the western fringe of the trough earlier that month raised the probability of a powerful one.
The trough is an 800km (500-mile) undersea trench working from Shizuoka, west of Tokyo, to the southern tip of Kyushu Island and sits the place two tectonic plates meet.
This April, the Japanese authorities estimated that as much as 298,000 folks might die if a megaquake of about magnitude 9 occurred alongside the trough.
