2005 Fukuoka earthquake
 |
|
| Date | March 20, 2005 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 6.6 Mw |
| Epicenter | 33°44′18″N 130°10′30″E / 33.73833°N 130.17500°E |
| Areas affected | Japan, Fukuoka |
| Casualties | 1 dead, 500 injured |
The Fukuoka earthquake struck Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan at 10:53 am JST on March 20, 2005, and lasted for approximately 1 minute. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) measured it as peaking at a magnitude of 7.0 (6.6) and named it and its subsequent aftershocks the Fukuoka Prefecture western offshore earthquakes (福岡県西方沖地震 Fukuoka-ken Seihō Oki Jishin?). The quake occurred along a previously unknown fault in the Genkai Sea, North of Fukuoka city, and the residents of Genkai island were forced to evacuate as houses collapsed and landslides occurred in places. Investigations subsequent to the earthquake determined that the new fault was most likely an extension of the known Kego fault that runs through the centre of the city.
Fukuoka is not as seismically active as many other parts of Japan, and was known prior to the earthquake as one of Japan's safest locations in terms of natural disasters; the previous earthquake, a magnitude 5, had occurred over a hundred years ago and it had been centuries since the city had experienced a serious earthquake.
The earthquake occurred along a yet-undiscovered extension of the Kego fault in the Sea of Genkai. Genkai Island, a part of western district was the most severely damaged area and almost all island residents were forced to evacuate. One person was killed, 70 people were severely injured and 1,017 received attention for minor injuries. Aftershocks continued intermittently throughout the following weeks as construction crews worked to rebuild damaged buildings throughout the city. Traditional Japanese houses, particularly in the areas of Daimyō and Imaizumi, were the most heavily damaged and many were marked for demolition. Insurance payments for damage were estimated at approximately 15.8 billion yen.
...
Wikipedia