In the early hours of Tuesday, November 22 2016, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Fukushima, Japan. An aftershock of the devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the same coast back in 2011, the Japan Meteorological Agency has called this the largest aftershock since the 2011 incident.
A popular tourist destination during the holiday season, part of Japan lies above the Japan Median Tectonic Line (MTL). Research has shown that tectonic plates (large slabs of rocks that make up the Earth’s surfaces) are constantly in motion — moving apart or towards each other at approximately two to five centimetres a year.
Such movements, by matter so large, causes energy to build up and in turn, results in earthquakes (followed closely by tsunamis) to occur.
If you’re travelling a lot this year and are worried about natural disasters occuring, here are some things you can do.
Mostly found along countries where fault lines converge — such as Indonesia, New Zealand, The Philippines — volcanoes have recently made their way onto the news thanks to their seismic activities.
Just before flying over to those countries, be sure to monitor news on the seismic activities that are happening and anticipate that your flight to and fro might be cancelled.
Early this year, Mt. Rinjani located on the island of Lombok in Indonesia erupted and shot ash particles in the stratosphere, causing the abrupt cancellation of flights from neighbouring countries.
Holiday goers on neighbouring islands like Bali were left stranded at the airport and could not return home.
Earthquakes can happen at just about any time of the year and just about all over the world so it’s hard to pinpoint a certain period in which they’ll be more active.
However, if there’s one thing you must know, it is that tsunamis often accompany an earthquake and if you’ve just reached a coastal city or town that’s been affected by an earthquake, it’s best to stay away from the shoreline.
Majority of the time, experts will tell you that to survive an earthquake, it’s best to hide below a sturdy table and wait for tremors to stop.
No one can forget the tragic Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 that killed over 200,000 people across countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
If you’re travelling to a coastal city or town, it’s best to note that tsunamis are easier to detect than most natural disasters. Just before a tsunami occurs, a drawback of water can often be seen from the shore.
Use this time to evacuate and get to higher ground before the tsunami finds its way onto the shoreline.
This year, parts of Japan and Hong Kong (remember the photo of that lady eating a bao?), were hit with strong typhoons.
The best way to avoid being affected by a typhoon or a hurricane is to stay indoors. Take note that electricity might be cut off and you might have to use gas lamps or lighted candles. In such cases, keep an eye on these items as they might cause fires to occur.
Typhoons are usually accompanied by flashfloods so be sure to get to higher ground.
Mostly due to heavy rain that loosens the soil beds in hilly areas, landslides can be relatively easy to predict.
To avoid getting affected by landslides, monitor the places you’ll be visiting and be aware if heavy rainfall has occurred in a particular area in the days leading up to your travel.