1960 Tonankai Earthquake

The 1960 Tonankai Earthquake was a powerful magnitude 8.0 quake that struck Japan’s southern coast, particularly near the Tokai and Nankai regions. It occurred along a fault line where two tectonic plates— the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate—meet and slide against each other. This movement causes stress and releases energy as an earthquake, leading to shaking, tsunamis, and damage. The event also increased awareness of seismic hazards in Japan, prompting improvements in earthquake preparedness and warning systems.