The Japanese government implements a new alert system in seven coastal prefectures from Chiba to Hokkaido to warn against subsequent earthquakes should a quake of magnitude 7.0 or larger strikes in either of two deep-sea trenches in the Pacific Ocean where massive temblors are feared.
Damage estimates released Thursday by the Hokkaido government show tsunami could kill 149,000 people in the event a major earthquake hits off Japan's northernmost main island, surpassing a central government prediction by around 12,000. But the report also said deaths could be significantly reduced if thorough evacuation measures are swiftly…
Fatalities caused by tsunami generated from a massive quake off Japan's north and northeastern Pacific coast could be reduced by 80 percent if people evacuate quickly, a government task force on disaster management says. The report followed the prediction last year by the Central Disaster Management Council that up to…