1. Volcanic eruptions

2. VEI-7 Volcanic eruptions

3. Earthquakes
    List of earthquakes in Japan 

4. Mudslides
     Major mudslide events    Mount Ontake    Wakayama, Nara    Hiroshima  

5. See also

6. References

7. External links

Japan is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters. Two out of the five most expensive natural disasters in recent history have occurred in Japan, costing $181 billion in the years 2011 and 1995 only. Japan has also been the site of some of the 10 worst natural disasters of the 21st century. The types of natural disasters in Japan include tsunamis, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, hailstorms, tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightnings, nuclear explosions and other natural disasters including the related geotectonic phenomena. The country has gone through many years of natural disasters, affecting its economy, development, and social life.

Japan was the first time of natural disasters in the world and the most for a worst disasters for the last time events of June 1896 Sanriku earthquake and September 1923 Great Kanto earthquake. During the Bombing of Tokyo in March 1942 and then 3 years later in March 1945 another bombing. Just five months later on between 6th and 9th August, the two major cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was destroyed by the atomic bombing during the final stage, Japan's surrender and the end of World War II respectively. But the last time for the most recently earthquakes, following the January 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake and 16 years later in March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami including with the subsequent of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, whereas the extremely-dangers of radiation-contaminated water from the disaster has remained dormant.

Volcanic eruptions

VEI-7 Volcanic eruptions

There are three VEI-7 volcanoes‎ in Japan. These are the Aira Caldera, Kikai Caldera and Aso Caldera.

Mount Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan. Mount Aso had four eruptions 300,000 to 90,000 years ago. It emitted huge amounts of volcanic ash that covered all of Kyushu and up to Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Earthquakes

Japan has had a long history of earthquake catastrophe and seismic activity. Earthquakes are the vibrations caused by rocks breaking under stress. The underground surface along which the rock breaks and moves is called a fault plane. Over time, stresses build beneath the earth’s surface. Occasionally, stress is released resulting in the sudden, and sometime disastrous shaking we call an earthquake. Earthquakes can cause shaking that could last seconds or minutes. Besides that, there may be several earthquakes over a period ranging from hours to weeks called aftershocks, and the magnitude of the following tremors will decrease with time. It is important to know the earthquake magnitude because it can be the clue if there will be any aftershocks. Because of that, magnitude can be measured on the Richter scale, invented by Charles F. Richter in 1934. The Richter magnitude is calculated from the amplitude of the largest seismic wave recorded for the earthquake. In the past twenty years, the most severe earthquake that occurred was in 2011 off the coast of Tohoku.

List of earthquakes in Japan

Mudslides

A mudslide or mudflow occurs when rocks, sand and earth are loosened and fall from hills and mountains due to earthquake, rain or snow. In Japan, over two-thirds of the land is mountainous and therefore prone to mudslides.^[2]

Major mudslide events

Mount Ontake

On September 14, 1984, the Otaki earthquake (magnitude 6.8) in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, caused a major mudslide on the south face of Mount Ontake, which reached speeds of 80~100 km/h.^[3] Heavy rain over several days prior to the quake contributed to causing the mudslide, known as “Ontake Kuzure,” which took the lives of 29 people. After the disaster, barriers against mudslide were erected in nine locations at the foot of Mt. Ontake.^[4]

Wakayama, Nara

In September 2011, typhoon No. 12, which formed and was named on August 25, made landfall over Japan, bringing heavy rain to the mountainous Kii Peninsula, and causing a mudslide, called “Shinsohokai,” in Wakayama and Nara. "Shinsohokai" means that not only soil collapses, but also bedrock. In this case, houses were covered with earth and sand from the mudslide and there were many injured and killed.^[5]

Hiroshima

In June 2010, Hiroshima experienced heavy rains which caused severe damage, including mudslides and river floods; Shōbara had 64 mm rain in an hour and Hiroshima had 30–50 mm on June 12, 20-40mm on the 13th and 20-50mm on the 14th. Five people were killed and six injured; 1,787 houses were destroyed.^[6]

See also

• List of disasters in Japan by death toll

References

External links

• Recent natural disasters in Japan-日本では最近の自然災害

• Mignon Leticia Clyburn
• Mignonne
• Mignonne (1794)
• Mignonne (disambiguation)
• Mignon Nixon
• Mignon Point
• Mignon river
• Mignon rose
• Mignon (Schubert)
• Mignon und der Harfner
• Mignon è partita
• Migof
• Mig og Charly
• Migolica, Mirna
• Migolska Gora, Mirna
• Migonitis burneyi
• MiG Operational Flying Training Unit
• Migoplastis alba
• Migoplastis ceylanica
• Migoplastis ceylonica
• Migoplastis correcta
• Migoplastis hampsoni
• Migoplastis philippinensis
• Migori District
• Migorybia