The series of aftershocks off the northeastern coast of Japan has raised alarm in the seismology world, as a new government study warned that up to 199,000 people could die if a 9-magnitude earthquake occurred.
The most recent earthquake, a strong offshore aftershock of 4.9 degrees richter, was recorded on the evening of December 14 near Miyako in Iwate Prefecture, with a small intensity and did not cause any damage.
However, Japanese authorities are urging people to be vigilant and reconsider evacuation plans after a series of smaller earthquakes in recent days off the coastal provinces of Aomori and Fukushima, both in the Tohoku region.
Dozens of small earthquakes have occurred off the coast of Japan over the past week, following a 7.5 Category richter earthquake on the night of December 8 that injured at least 34 people and caused property damage across the Aomori region.
Japan's weather agency has issued a warning of an increased risk of a strong earthquake of 8 degrees richter or more in the next few days, in the area that still has scars from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and Tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 people.
The latest earthquake activity coincides with the announcement of an alarming update from the Central Disaster Management Council of Japan, which predicts major casualties and damage if a " malest-level" earthquake occurs along two large ocean ditches off the northeastern coast of Japan.
The Japan throat - running parallel to the provinces of Ibaraki, Fukushima and Miyagi, and the Chishima throat - extending offshore to Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido, all produced catastrophic earthquakes every 300 to 400 years.
Council estimates show that an winter-night earthquake along the Japanese ditch could take the lives of up to 199,000 people, amid snowfall and severe cold that hinder evacuation and rescue efforts.
Similar to an earthquake in the Chishima drain or Kuril drain, located along the sparsely populated coast of Hokkaido, it is forecast to claim the lives of about 100,000 people. Historical records show that the most recent maximum level breach occurred in the 17th century, meaning that the next one should have happened.
Disaster resilience expert Rajib Shaw at Keio University in Tokyo said that these forecasts are serious but necessary warnings.
These numbers are slightly higher estimates based on the worst-case scenario, he said.
Although preparations for natural disasters in Japan have increased after the 2011 earthquake and Tsunami, officials are concerned that people's vigilance may be decreasing as memories of 2011 fade.
After a powerful 8.8-magnitude richter off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula in July activated a Tsunami warning, less than a quarter of coastal residents followed evacuation orders, and most of the evacuated moved by car, blocking roads despite the official advice to evacuate on foot.
