Mega Quakes in Kumamoto Rocking Kyushu
I say "rocking" as the quakes are active at this writing, April 17, 22:00. But, lets make history by not telling you about what's happening, which I gather you already know via media reports, but rather by having you share with me how it feels to be sitting on a gigantic quakes nest. I'm Nathan Shiga and here's I mean to tell you.
Right, that's what it is. The entire archipelago of Japan lies along a huge active-fault line like a chain of land pieces floating on a pool of boiling lava ready to burst open any moment. The Northeast Japan quake a few years back and now the quake in Kumatomo Earthquake both well over 7 on the Richter scale. Experts all agree that a major quake is due any minute along the east coasts stretching from Izu Peninsula down to Miyazaki, Kyushu - the so-called Nankai Trough Quake. This oceanic trough runs out of the Japan Deep extending over 900 km offshore.
Kumamoto shook twice in a row - once on April 14 and again April 16; each time quakes registered Richter scale 7+. And from then on, the region is assaulted by incessant shakes over 4-5-6 Richter scale at intervals of minutes. Richer 1s included, the total number of quakes ran up to over 478 times from April 14 night through 9:00 am April 17, the ground almost constantly shaking.
People still talk about Kobe Earthquake of 1995. It was bad enough, 6.0 in Richter scale, but it shook only once for 20 seconds. This time in Kumamoto the quake came in doubledeck, each time Richter 7+, and the shaking is still ongoing.
Damages are unprecedented: the centuries-old Castle of Kumamto has its roof slates shook off and its historic turret collapsed. The prestigious Aso Shrine has broken and fell - both the tower gate and worshiping hall.
Strange as it might sound, Japan has survived natural calamities of this magnitude thousand times and yet its people have learned to live with faith in Mother Nature. It's as simple as breathing air; we go on and live afloat a sea of lava, if it's what Mother Nature offers us to live by.
