900 Earthquakes In 2 Weeks: Sleepless Nights For Anxious Residents In Japan

Last Updated:July 03, 2025, 18:30 IST

The Tokara Islands in southern Japan are witnessing unusually high seismic activity in recent weeks, leaving residents anxious and sleep-deprived.

An aerial view shows Akuseki Island, a part of the of the Tokara island chain. (Reuters)

A remote and sparsely populated chain of islands in southern Japan has been rocked by more than 900 earthquakes in two weeks, leaving residents with anxiety and sleepless nights.

Since June 21, the seas around the Tokara islands have experienced “very active" seismic activity, according to authorities, after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck on Wednesday. There have been no reports of damage and no tsunami warning has been raised, but authorities have advised residents to prepare to evacuate if needed, according to a report by BBC.

As per local media reports, the area has experienced clusters of earthquakes in the past, but the frequency of the most recent tremors has been unusual. “It’s very scary to even fall asleep. It feels like it’s always shaking," said a resident.

Only 700 people live on seven of the 12 Tokara islands, and there are no hospitals on some of these far-flung islands. To reach a hospital, a person would have to travel by ferry for six hours to the prefectural capital, Kagoshima.

Japan experiences around 1,500 earthquakes every year as it is one of the most seismically active nations on Earth, owing to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates meet. A vast majority of those tremors are mild, with some deadly exceptions such as the 2011 earthquake that triggered a tsunami and killed over 18,000 people.

‘Everyone’s Exhausted’

A 54-year-old woman, who lives on the island and runs a cattle farm with her husband, said, “Everyone’s exhausted. We just want it to stop."

Another resident said the ground felt like shaking even when it was not.

According to authorities, some residents in Toshima village are sleep-deprived and tired due to frequent earthquakes and have urged the media to stop conducting excessive interviews with locals.

Some guesthouses on the Tokara islands have stopped accepting tourists because of the earthquakes, as they might be used as shelters for locals, said Toshima Village on its website.

The series of earthquakes came as Japanese citizens fear that a massive, deadly earthquake could strike the country. The Japanese government has called for new measures, such as constructing embankments and evacuation buildings, to strengthen public readiness in case of such a disaster.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

Read More

Location :

Tokyo, Japan

First Published:

News world 900 Earthquakes In 2 Weeks: Sleepless Nights For Anxious Residents In Japan