New plate discovery may force Japan to review quake plans

[FG Lurker]

New plate discovery may force Japan to review quake plans
The Peninsula On-line (AFP), May 22, 2005

A Japanese geologist has discovered a new tectonic plate under the Tokyo area, a finding that may force the government to review its quake preparation plans, a report said yesterday.

[...]

The geological structure of the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, is complex with the interaction of the Philippine, Pacific and Eurasian plates, but Shinji Toda argued the portion of a plate believed to be part of the Philippine plate was indeed an independent tectonic plate, Kyodo News Agency said.

Toda, chief researcher at the Active Fault Research Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, said he analyzed data on 150,000 quakes with magnitudes above 2.0 between 1979 and 2004 in the Kanto region, Kyodo said.

(Full Story)

Grrrreat, another plate right under Tokyo (maybe).

So...What sort of plans does everyone have if the "big one" hits?

[Oradea]

Never plan for that. If it happens it happens.

[FG Lurker]

Never plan for that. If it happens it happens.

I don't have much of a plan either... But if I'm alive I've got somewhere to go about 150km from Osaka.

[dimwit]

I can't seem to find a good link with a map anywhere.



This is an old map but I have no idea where this newly discovered plate boundary is situated.

My guess is that it will probably won't effect thing one way or the other. Generally, transform fault quakes such as the Hanshin Earthquake and the Kanto Earthquake are usually more dangerous than subduction zone quakes.

[mr. sparkle]

So...What sort of plans does everyone have if the "big one" hits?

What do you mean "if" the big one hits? Don't you mean, when the big one hits?