Southern Japan Islands Evacuate Amidst Earthquake Swarm

Dozens of residents have been evacuated from remote islands in southern Japan following a series of earthquakes. The local mayor reported that the islands have been experiencing significant seismic activity in recent weeks.

Despite a 5.1-magnitude earthquake overnight, the hardest-hit island, Akuseki, has not suffered major physical damage. However, the constant tremors, which began on June 21st, have caused considerable stress and sleep deprivation among the residents.

As of Sunday, 44 of Akuseki's 89 residents had evacuated to Kagoshima, a regional hub. An additional 15 people left another nearby island. The municipality, which includes seven inhabited and five uninhabited islands, is approximately an eleven-hour ferry ride from Kagoshima.

Since June 21st, the area has been struck by a swarm of 1,582 earthquakes. Experts suggest that an underwater volcano and magma flows might be the cause of the tremors. The duration of this seismic activity remains uncertain.

The mayor expressed concern, stating that the future is unpredictable and the end of the tremors is unknown. A similar period of intense seismic activity occurred in September 2023, with 346 earthquakes recorded.

Japan is a highly seismically active country, situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire." The nation experiences approximately 1,500 earthquakes annually, accounting for a significant percentage of global seismic events.

Unfounded fears, fueled by social media, have led some foreign tourists to postpone their visits to Japan. A reissued manga comic, which predicted a major disaster on July 5, 2025, further contributed to these concerns.