Why is Japan prone to Earthquakes and Tsunamis?

Why is Japan prone to Earthquakes and Tsunamis?

News: Recently, an earthquake in Japan caused tremendous loss of life, property. Here we will discuss about factors contributing to earthquake in Japan.

Where did the earthquake take place?
• The recent earthquake in Japan occurred in the Ishikawa prefecture.
• The Noto Peninsula (exact area where earthquake triggered) is located in the Ishikawa Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan, in the heart of the Hokuriku region of Honshū, the main island of Japan.

Why is Japan prone to Earthquake and Tsunami?
• Japan is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is one of the most seismically active areas in the world. This region is characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
• Earthquakes: The Pacific Ring of Fire is a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. Here, several tectonic plates, including the Pacific, Eurasian, and Indo-Australian Plates, continuously mesh and collide. This tectonic activity results in frequent earthquakes. In fact, Japan accounts for about 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater on average. An earthquake occurs every 5 minutes in the country.
• Tsunamis: Tsunamis are giant waves caused by disturbances under the sea, most commonly by underwater earthquakes. When an earthquake occurs underwater, it causes a sudden displacement of water, generating waves that travel across the ocean. These waves can travel at high speeds in deep waters, slowing down and increasing in height as they reach the shallow waters near the coast. This can lead to devastating tsunamis when they make landfall.

What triggered a Tsunami in the Sea of Japan?
• There are small micro tectonic plates that exist in an around Japan such as Okhotsk plate, Amur Plate, Yangtze plate and Philippine plate.
• The Okhotsk plate and Amur plate are converging and pushing against each other creating lot of friction.
• In case of Tsunami in Japan the Okhotsk plate was thrusted upwards against Amur Plate causing the ground to shake violently which was felt across the Noto peninsula and surrounding areas.