ππ₯ Earthquake of 6.2 Magnitude Jolts Northern Japan β Jaws Dropped, No Major Damage? π€
TL;DR:
In the most recent act of Mother Nature’s techno-rave, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake rocked northern Japan’s Hokkaido island. Despite the intense tremors, it appears Japan’s long history of quakes prepared them well, with no reports of serious damage or injuries. πΊππΌ
π° Story:
Folks, the Earth decided to bust a move yet again in northern Japan. The dance floor? Hokkaido, the nation’s northernmost main island. The intensity? A thrilling 6.2 on the Richter scale. And the time? This shake-down went down at precisely 6:55pm (09:55 GMT). But, you might be asking, “were any glasses broken during this sudden jive?” Surprisingly, it appears the party went off without a hitch. No reported casualties, no significant destruction. But it does leave one to ponder, how did they pull off such a flawless performance? ππ€·ββοΈ
Japan, as many of you might know, sits on the ‘Ring of Fire’βand no, it’s not a cool, new Burning Man installationβit’s an area notorious for seismic activity (translation: a whole lot of shakin’). Over the years, Japan has developed a knack for dealing with such spontaneous jitterbug sessions from Mother Earth, thanks to frequent run-ins with seismic boogies. But is it really just experience, or is there something else to their secret quake-surviving sauce? ππ₯π
Now, don’t get it twisted; Japan’s had some rough dance-offs before. You may remember back in March 2011, a monster 9.0 magnitude quake held a surprise jam off the northeastern coast, triggering a tsunami and leaving nearly 18,500 people missing or dead. That was a dance no one wanted an invite to, and it even caused a major hiccup at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. So, Japan isn’t a stranger to Earth’s violent breakdancing. But this recent episode? More of a slow waltz in comparison. ππ
However, these past few years have seen their fair share of tremors. In March 2022, northeastern Japan shook like a leaf in a storm from a severe earthquake, even causing skyscrapers in Tokyo, some 275km (171 miles) away, to sway. Then, in May 2023, a 6.5 magnitude quake rolled through, causing damage and injuries. So, when you think about it, a 6.2 is pretty much another day at the office for the citizens of Japan. But does that make it any less of a shocker? π²π§
From the southwestern parts of Hokkaido, including the cities of Chitose and Atsuma, all the way to the northern parts of HonshuβJapan’s biggest islandβthis recent quake shook it all. And yet, despite the widespread shimmy, reports tell us that the capital Tokyo seemed to sit this one out. Perhaps Tokyo is more of a wallflower when it comes to these natural jamborees? ποΈπ€
While the Pacific Ring of Fire has a reputation for throwing some of the wildest raves on the planet, Japan’s ability to brush off a 6.2 quake without much fuss is nothing short of impressive. But it does beg the questionβhow much of this resilience comes from preparation, and how much is sheer luck