On July 15, Japanese weather officials said that the number of earthquakes that people could feel around the Tokara Islands in the southwest of the country had exceeded 2,000.
Officials are urging people to be alert for earthquakes that could reach Category 6 or below on the Japan earthquake intensity scale of 0 to 7.
Earthquake activity intensified on June 21 around the islands of Akusekijima and Kodakarajima, in Toshima Village, Kagoshima Prefecture.
Strong earthquakes of Category 6 or lower were recorded in Akusekijima on July 3, followed by two strong earthquakes of Category 5 or higher on July 6. A Category 5 or below earthquake occurred on July 7.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said that as of 4:00 a.m. on July 15, a total of 2,046 earthquakes with an intensity of 1 or more had been recorded in the sea off the Tokara Islands. There were 83 earthquakes on July 13, 39 on July 14 and 2 as of 4:00 a.m. on July 15.
The sea off the Tokara archipelago has recorded a series of earthquakes in 2021 and continues to record a series of earthquakes in 2023. But the current earthquake is much larger in number.
