Credits: Social Media
Japanese woman’s phone sends earthquake warning 4 seconds before huge shockwave
Social media users were both shocked and terrified of Japans earthquake warning system following the series of major disasters the island nation is currently grappling with.
As the world was celebrating the New Year earlier this week, Japan was battling the disastrous results of a 7.6-magnitude earthquake around the Noto peninsula. The countrys early warning system has since gained attraction online, with numerous videos going viral on sites like TikTok and X.
The earthquake alarm in Japan is quite distinct
While the death toll is undoubtedly devastating, the destruction could have been significantly more if not for Japans Earthquake Early Warning system.
The system was produced by the Japan Meteorological Agency in 2007 and was initially broadcast through TV and radio. Following a seismic event, data is recorded and analysed before triggering the warning.
The moment a streamer received her notification was shared online through the X (Twitter) account, sparking a massive reaction from social media users.
Thats a big one, the streamer can be seen saying to someone out of the camera view. Just moments later, and after the screen shakes, the womans phone makes a warning sound followed by the word earthquake three times.
“Oh my god its big! I’ve got to go, I’m sorry,” she tells viewers before rushing off to find a safe place.
Twitter shares their thoughts on the Earthquake alarm
On X, known earlier as Twitter, users were shocked by the system and impressed with how the streamer conducted herself.
Great and scary at the same time, one person wrote, to which someone replied, I was in the airport, everyones devices started the alarm.
Someone else said: I think everyone who lives in Japan hears this sound at once, this sound really scares us, but it is very important to protect our lives.
Other social media users were concerned with how little time it gave Japanese citizens to find a safe spot to ride out the earthquake.
One person said: That was a good 15 sec warning.
Japan has seen untold devastation
Following the initial earthquake, Japan experienced tsunami waves more than a meter high. It devastated roads and made difficult for relief workers to operate recovery missions.
“We must continue putting all of our efforts into rescuing people, even beyond 72 hours after the disaster,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at a news conference. Officials said that the survival rate drops dramatically following 72 hours.
More than 30k people were forced from their homes, while some remote areas are still inaccessible to relief crews. Access to clean water, internet and medical supplies is drastically low despite 3,000 meals and 5,000 bottles of water being delivered as of Wednesday, according to reports.
Yasuhiro Kano, a resident of Suzus Horyu district, evacuated his mother as her house was collapsing.
At first I thought the shaking was the usual 4 or 5 on the Japanese seismic scale, but soon the vertical shaking came, and the house collapsed, he told local media. My house has completely collapsed. I dont know what will happen now.
The resident added: “I dont even know how long it will take to recover. I have nothing but anxiety.
