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 A destroyed house inKumamoto | |
 United States Geological Survey shake map for the April 16 earthquake; a maximumMercalli intensity scale value of 8.8 was observed just east of Kumamoto City.[1] | |
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| UTC time | 2016-04-15 16:25:06 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 610289055 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | April 16, 2016 (2016-04-16)[2] |
| Local time | 01:25JST (UTC+9) |
| Magnitude | 7.0Mw[2] 7.3MJMA |
| Depth | 10 km[2] |
| Epicenter | 32°46′55.2″N130°43′33.6″E / 32.782000°N 130.726000°E /32.782000; 130.726000[2] |
| Fault | Futagawa-Hinagu fault zone |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected | Kumamoto Prefecture,Kyushu,Japan[3] |
| Max. intensity | JMA 7 (MMI IX) |
| Peak acceleration | 1.61g (foreshock) 1580Gal (foreshock) 1.83g (mainshock) 1791Gal (mainshock) |
| Foreshocks | 6.2Mw, April 14, 2016 (2016-04-14) 12:26:36 (UTC), 21:26:36 (JST)[3][4][5] |
| Casualties | 277 dead, 2,809 injured(including indirect deaths)[6] |
The2016 Kumamoto earthquakes (Japanese:平成28年熊本地震,Hepburn:Heisei 28-nen Kumamoto jishin) were a series ofearthquakes,[2] including a magnitude 7.0mainshock which struck at 01:25 JST on April 16, 2016 (16:25 UTC on April 15) beneathKumamoto City ofKumamoto Prefecture inKyushu Region,Japan, at a depth of about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles),[2] and aforeshock earthquake with a magnitude 6.2 at 21:26 JST (12:26 UTC) on April 14, 2016, at a depth of about 11 kilometres (6.8 miles).[3]
In total, the two earthquakes killed 277 people[7] and injured 2,809 others, a majority of them indirectly,[6][8] This earthquake sequence was the deadliest in Japan since the2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami,[9] until the2024 Noto earthquake. Of these, 50 deaths were directly caused by the earthquake, 218 were disaster-related deaths (災害関連死,Saigai-kanren-shi)[10] caused by aggravation of injuries from the earthquake or aggravation of illnesses during evacuation, and 5 of the deaths caused by the heavy rains from June 19–25 were related to the earthquake.[11]
Severe damage occurred in Kumamoto andŌita Prefectures, with numerous structures collapsing and catching fire. More than 44,000 people were evacuated from their homes due to the disaster.
Kumamoto Prefecture lies at the southern end of theJapan Median Tectonic Line, Japan's longest, where a system of active faults forks in two directions at the Beppu-Haneyama Fault Zone.[12] Specifically, the series of quakes ruptured the 81-km-long Hinagu Fault and 64-km-long Futagawa Fault to its north, as well as lesser but discernable interaction with the farther flung Beppu-Haneyama Fault Zone.[13][14] A 27-km section of the Futagawa Fault Zone slid 3.5 meters.[14] The earthquakes are occurring along theBeppu–Shimabara graben,[15] with epicentres moving from west to east over time.[16]
Around 08:30 local time on April 16,Mount Aso saw a small-scaleeruption with ash billowing 100 m (330 ft) into the air; the eruption was not related to the earthquake.[17][18] Mount Aso had already been active since before the earthquakes,[19] being under a Level 2 warning from the JMA since November 24, 2015.[20][21]
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Although the focus of theforeshock earthquake was 12.0 kilometres (7.5 miles) beneathMount Kinpo to the north-northwest ofKumamoto's city center, the worst-hit area was in the eastern Kumamoto suburb ofMashiki, where the foreshock earthquake's victims perished.[22] The earthquake was strongly felt as far north asShimonoseki on southwesternHonshu, and as far south as theKirishima inKagoshima Prefecture.[23] In the following hours, there were at least 11aftershocks of at least 4.5 magnitude, one of which was a magnitude 6;[24] more than 140 aftershocks were registered within two days.[25] It was the first earthquake to occur on the island of Kyushu to register as a 7 on theJapan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale.[26][27] On April 15, the JMA officially labelled itHeisei 28-nen Kumamoto jishin (平成28年熊本地震, "Heisei 28 Kumamoto Earthquake")–Heisei 28 being the year 2016 on theJapanese calendar.[28]
| Intensity | Prefecture | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Kumamoto | Mashiki |
| 6- | Kumamoto | Kumamoto (Higashi-ku,Nishi-ku,Minami-ku),Tamana,Uki,Nishihara |
At 01:25JST on April 16 (16:25 UTC, April 15), a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, underHigashi Ward of Kumamoto City, occurred as the result ofstrike-slip faulting at shallow depth.[2] Significant additional damage occurred in those areas ofKumamoto Prefecture recovering from the April 14 earthquake, with strong tremors and damage also recorded as far east asBeppu inŌita Prefecture.[31] It was also felt as far away asBusan,South Korea, with an intensity ofMMI III.[2][32] Atsunami advisory was issued at 01:27JST for areas along theAriake Sea andYatsushiro Sea, with the wave height forecast at 0.2 to 1 m (0.7 to 3.3 ft),[33] but was lifted less than an hour later at 02:14JST.[34]
| Intensity | Prefecture | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Kumamoto | Nishihara,Mashiki |
| 6+ | Kumamoto | Minamiaso,Kumamoto (Chūō-ku,Higashi-ku,Nishi-ku),Kikuchi,Uto,Uki,Koshi,Ozu,Kashima |
| 6- | Kumamoto | Aso, Kumamoto (Minami-ku,Kita-ku),Yatsushiro,Tamana,Misato,Nagomi,Kikuyo,Mifune,Yamato,Hikawa,Kamiamakusa,Amakusa |
| Oita | Beppu,Yufu |
The following is a list of majoraftershocks that have occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture since April 14, 2016.
| Japan Time | Magnitude | Intensity | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-04-14 21:26 | Mj6.5, Mw6.2 | 7 | Foreshocks |
| 2016-04-14 22:07 | Mj5.8 | 6- | |
| 2016-04-15 00:03 | Mj6.4 | 6+ | |
| 2016-04-16 01:25 | Mj7.3, Mw7.0 | 7 | Mainshock |
| 2016-04-16 01:45 | Mj5.9 | 6- | Aftershocks |
| 2016-04-16 03:03 | Mj5.9 | 5+ | |
| 2016-04-16 03:55 | Mj5.8 | 6+ | |
| 2016-04-18 20:41 | Mj5.8 | 5+ | |
| 2016-04-19 17:52 | Mj5.5 | 5+ |
At least nine people died and 1,108 more were injured by the April 14 foreshock.[25] The roof and exterior walls ofKumamoto Castle sustained damage.[37] The castle'sshachihoko were also destroyed.[38] Service on theKyushu Shinkansen was suspended after a train derailed.[39] The foreshock displaced an estimated 44,000 people and collapsed at least 19 homes.[40] Merchandaise were knocked off shelves in stores. Fires broke out and landslides severely damaged roads.[41]
At least 277 people were killed and 2,809 others were injured by the mainshock, including many indirectly.[7][6][42] Of these, 50 deaths were directly caused by the earthquake, 218 were disaster-related deaths (災害関連死,Saigai-kanren-shi)[10] caused by aggravation of injuries from the earthquake or aggravation of illnesses during evacuation, and 5 of the deaths caused by the heavy rains from June 19–25 were related to the earthquake.[11] AcrossKumamoto Prefecture, 8,657 houses were completely destroyed, 34,491 were partially destroyed and 155,095 others, as well as 467 public buildings and 12,857 structures of unspecified use, were damaged, including 270 houses which were affected by flooding. Three people were killed and 34 others were injured inOita Prefecture, where 10 houses collapsed, 222 were severely damaged and 8,110 others were partially damaged. InFukuoka Prefecture, 17 people were injured and 255 houses were damaged, four of them severely, while 13 people were injured and one house was damaged inSaga Prefecture. Eight people were injured and 41 houses were damaged inMiyazaki Prefecture, two of them severely, with damage also recorded inYamaguchi andNagasaki Prefectures.[11]
As a result of the mainshock, the entirety of Kumamoto city was left without water.[43] All residents ofNishihara Village in Kumamoto Prefecture were evacuated over fears that a nearby dam could collapse.[43]Kumamoto Airport was also closed to all but emergency flights, and service on theKyushu Shinkansen was suspended after a train derailed due to the earthquake.[44] Numerous structures collapsed or caught fire as a result of the earthquake. Government officials estimated more than 1,000 buildings had been seriously damaged, with 90 destroyed.[45] A 500-bed hospital in Kumamoto City was knocked off its foundations, forcing the evacuation of all patients,[25] and anatural gas leak promptedSaibu Gas to turn off supplies to multiple homes in the city.[27]
Numerous landslides took place across the mountains of Kyushu, rendering roads impassable,[33][46] TheGreat Aso Bridge [ja] of theJapan National Route 325 inMinamiaso collapsed into the Kurokawa river.[47] A rockslide blocked the entirety of the four-lane expressway close to the fallen bridge, leaving a large scar that ran almost completely up the hill that suffered the rockslide.[citation needed]
TheAso Shrine was also heavily damaged in the earthquake. The shrine'srōmon (tower gate), officially classified as anImportant Cultural Property by the Japanese government, and thehaiden (worshiping hall) both completely collapsed.[48]Kumamoto Castle, another Important Cultural Property sustained damage to its roof and exterior buildings and walls because of the earthquakes and associated aftershocks.[49] Several of the castle'sshachihoko ornaments were destroyed,[50] and a large number ofkawara tiles also fell from the roof. Other historical buildings such as Janes' Residence, the first western-style house built in Kumamoto (dating from 1871)[51] were also totally destroyed.[52] The former registered Cultural Asset was initially located in the grounds of Kumamoto Castle, but was later relocated nearSuizen-ji Jōju-en.
Early estimates of the economic costs of the damage range from $5.5 billion to $7.5 billion, with insured property losses estimated to be between $800 million to $1.2 billion, according to Risk Management Solutions or between $1.7 billion to $2.9 billion, according toGuy Carpenter.[53] Through the first half of 2016, about $3.2 billion of claims for damage to residential dwellings were paid out by insurance companies, according to data from the General Insurance Association of Japan.[54]
Kumamoto Prefectural Police received more than 300 calls, while Ōita Prefectural Police received more than 100 calls.[55] More than 91,700 people were evacuated. An additional 15,000 soldiers from the Japan Self-Defense Forces joined relief efforts following the earthquake.[56] By April 16, more than 44,000 people were evacuated from the hardest-hit areas.[33]Prime MinisterShinzō Abe mobilized 3,000 personnel of theJapan Self-Defense Forces to assist local authorities with search and rescue and recovery efforts.[33] By April 18, the number of people seeking shelter had risen to 180,000, while at least eight people remained missing in a landslide caused by the earthquake.
![The north-west Inui Turret and wall of Kumamoto Castle.[57]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a2016_Kumamoto_earthquake_Kumamoto_Castle_4.JPG)
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