00:00Not an earthquake, but a mega-earthquake could happen in Japan.
00:05It's scarier, bigger, and more destructive than ordinary tremors.
00:09However, the problem is that it will occur underwater,
00:13which means it will trigger a giant tsunami 100 feet high.
00:18A column of water nearly as high as a 10-story building will collapse on coastal cities,
00:23wiping out hundreds of houses.
00:25The water flow can destroy everything in its path like a bowling ball that knocks down pins.
00:31And then another wave may come.
00:33And another one.
00:35Anyone who is at risk should be on their guard.
00:38How to survive?
00:39You'll find out later in this video.
00:41But first, let's find out what a mega-earthquake is.
00:47This is an earthquake with a magnitude 9 or more.
00:51This is a very rare phenomenon, and it depends not on the power of the shock,
00:56but on the length of the fault where it occurs.
00:59The longer the fault, the stronger the earthquake.
01:02But what are these faults?
01:04These are cracks in the rocks of the Earth's crust that move relative to each other.
01:09Imagine a large puzzle where every detail is a giant tectonic plate.
01:14When one part of the puzzle moves away from another or when they collide,
01:18that's when earthquakes begin.
01:20If the fault between the parts is long,
01:22then the magnitude of the earthquake is great.
01:26The largest mega-earthquake ever recorded occurred on May 22, 1960, in Chile.
01:32The fault was almost 1,000 miles long.
01:36It's almost half the way between Chicago and Los Angeles.
01:40And now, a similar mega-earthquake can happen, underwater.
01:46That's how it all started.
01:47Last year, on August 8, at 4.42 p.m., an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 occurred in southern Japan.
01:57The tremors appeared off the coast of the mainland island of Kyushu.
02:01Everyone was terrified as they expected a large tsunami to appear.
02:05But, fortunately, they faced only a small wave.
02:09It collapsed on the shore, but didn't destroy buildings.
02:11About 15 people got hurt, which is sad, of course.
02:15But it could have been worse.
02:17It seemed that the disaster had passed.
02:20The residents breathed a sigh of relief.
02:23However, after that, the Japan Meteorological Agency sent a warning about a possible mega-earthquake that could be incredibly devastating.
02:31A previous earthquake of 7.1 magnitude could be a harbinger of an impending catastrophe.
02:38A disaster that could affect a quarter of a million people.
02:42As soon as people heard this, they ran to buy groceries.
02:45Increased demand and a slight panic led to shortages of rice and several other basic products.
02:51People were stocking up on food and preparing for the worst.
02:54But, a week later, the Japan Meteorological Agency cancelled the warning.
02:59It turned out that the small tsunami on Kyushu Island was not a harbinger.
03:06No one knows whether a mega-earthquake and tsunami will happen in this region.
03:11But the chances are very high.
03:13To understand the nature of this danger, we need to dive underwater in a place called the Nankai Trough.
03:19It is a 500-mile-long underwater fault that runs almost parallel to the Pacific coast of Japan.
03:27This is where the two giant sections of the Earth's crust meet.
03:30The Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
03:33And the Philippine Plate is subducting and slowly slipping under the Eurasian Plate,
03:38on which Japan is partly located.
03:41During this movement, the plates get stuck, accumulating energy.
03:44Afterward, when they move and align again, they release a powerful burst of energy.
03:50And this energy is capable of causing one of the most powerful earthquakes in the world.
03:55Experts report that the probability of a mega-earthquake and a tsunami is about 80%.
04:01Over the past 1,400 years, mega-earthquakes have occurred every 100 to 200 years in this region.
04:09The last time this happened in Japan was in 1946.
04:12The entire country felt a powerful tremor that destroyed 36,000 houses in the southern part of Honshu Island.
04:21Every year, the probability of a repeat of this disaster increases by 1%.
04:25And do you know how many years have passed?
04:2879!
04:30According to experts, a mega-earthquake with a magnitude of 8 to 9 can trigger a tsunami that will flood small islands off the coast of Japan.
04:38And areas with large populations on the islands of Honshu and Shikoshu can be flooded in minutes.
04:46Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk.
04:48It can be billions and even trillions of dollars worth of damage.
04:52According to some reports, about 530,000 people may lose their homes.
04:57To save lives, the country needs to carry out a large-scale evacuation.
05:01But the problem is that no one knows the exact date.
05:05In general, no one in the world can predict in advance when the next big earthquake will occur.
05:11In the case of the Nankai Trough, it can happen in a few days, or a few years, or even centuries.
05:17So, what should people do?
05:20Prepare.
05:20Japan has been experiencing earthquakes for a long time, so the country has learned to survive a disaster with minimal losses.
05:30Almost every building in Japan is equipped with dampers, which are devices that suppress any vibrations and make houses more resistant to shaking.
05:38In addition, on the shores of Japan, residents have built long and high shields that don't allow powerful waves to break through to land.
05:48Japan also has an advanced earthquake warning system.
05:51It's impossible to predict powerful seismic activity in a few days or weeks,
05:56but it's possible to detect small tremors that may portend an impending earthquake.
06:01Special devices monitor seismic signals and transmit the data to certain programs.
06:07Then, they evaluate the magnitude and intensity of the tremors and send warnings to people's phones.
06:13This can save seconds and even minutes for locals to reach the nearest shelter in time.
06:19These systems are also used to slow down the speed of trains, to stop work at factories, hospitals, and office buildings.
06:25It's much safer for a train driver to slow down during an earthquake than to rush forward at full speed.
06:32But what if you're on the street and you can't hear your phone messages?
06:35How to act in case of disaster?
06:38This applies not only to Japan, but also to any place where a tsunami or earthquake may occur.
06:44To survive a tsunami, you need to prepare for it long before a big wave hits.
06:52It's very important to have good relations with neighbors.
06:54Be friendly with them, help them, and treat them well.
06:58In times of trouble or disaster, it's great to have people with whom you have a good relationship.
07:02They can help you get out of a difficult situation, and you can also help them.
07:07Be kind and compassionate to people.
07:09This way, it's much easier to survive any disaster.
07:13Prepare a backpack with necessities in advance.
07:16These are a first aid kit, canned food, flashlights, a battery-powered radio, and bottled water.
07:23All this will not only save your life, but will also help other people in trouble.
07:27So, if you feel an earthquake start, immediately run for cover.
07:32If you're at home, try to stand against a wall closest to the center of the building,
07:36or crawl under heavy furniture that stands firmly on the floor, such as a desk or a regular table.
07:43Stay away from windows and front doors, and never use an elevator.
07:46If you're on the street, don't come close to power lines and any objects that may fall.
07:53During a tsunami, you may need to get as high as possible to avoid getting swallowed by water.
07:58Stay as far away from the shore as you can, and don't go down until you're sure it's safe.
08:04But how can you find out about an approaching wave if you haven't received the warning?
08:12When a tsunami approaches the shore, you will hear a roar similar to the rumble of a passing train or plane.
08:18If there's no elevation nearby, then try to get to the upper floors.
08:22It must be at least the third floor, but it has to be a building that can resist a tsunami, such as a massive house made of concrete.
08:30If there are no such high buildings nearby, try to climb a massive tree.
08:35When the disaster is over, look around and find those you can help.
08:40Listen to messages from rescuers via radio or TV.
08:42If all is well, then you can deal with the consequences.
08:47Yes, there's a lot of work ahead, but you've survived and helped others survive.
08:52And that's the most important thing.
08:57That's it for today.
08:58So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
09:03Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the bright side.
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