Massive Kansai Earthquake Reported By Mistake, Panic Ensues
by Beth on Friday, August 9, 2013
by Beth on Friday, August 9, 2013
The logo for Japan’s earthquake warning system. The characters read: “Emergency Earthquake Information: Know Before It Happens”
As mobile phones rang simultaneously alerting their owners via “area mail” that an earthquake was anticipated, public warning broadcasts kicked into gear, creating a palpable sense of tension as residents braced themselves for the earthquake that never was.
But rather than blaming the JMA for the error, netizens were instead relieved that the warning mechanisms in place were all functioning properly, with many remarking that it was a good earthquake drill.
Emergency Earthquake Warning Error “Shindo 7 Earthquake in Kansai”, Shinkansen Temporarily Suspended — Japan Meteorological Agency Admits Trouble With Seismograph
On August 8 at 4:56pm, the Japan Meteorological Agency published emergency earthquake information stating that an earthquake between 6-lower and 7 on the agency’s shindo scale was expected in Nara and Osaka prefectures. However, it was discovered that this was in fact an error, and that the anticipated earthquake would not occur. The cause is taken to be a small quake immediately prior to the warning being issued, coupled with signal trouble on one of their seismographs, and the agency have initiated an investigation into the error.
JR Tokai temporarily suspended Shinkansen routes between Odawara and Shin Osaka, while JR West Japan suspended Shinaksen routes between Shin Osaka and Shin Iwakuni station. Operations were resumed on all lines by 5:15pm.
According to the Meteorological Agency, there was an earthquake at around 4:56pm on August 8, with its epicentre taken to be in the northern part of Wakayama Prefecture. The magnitude of the earthquake was estimated to be 2.3, and there was no seismic activity exceeding shindo scale 1, and 18.5 seconds after the earthquake, trouble arose when a signal from a seismograph installed in the seabed offshore from Mie Prefecture was interrupted. Despite there being no earthquake, it was determined that there had been a quake that had moved the ground surface 1cm.
Based on these two sources of information, the Meteorological Agency’s systems erroneously judged that there had been an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8, with its epicentre in Nara Prefecture, therefore issuing the emergency earthquake warning.
