Viral Manga quake prediction fails, but Japanese scientists warn of this...

For weeks, social media buzzed with fear. A popular manga predicted doom, an apocalyptic earthquake striking Japan this morning. The question on everyone's lips was, What if the eerie prophecy comes true?

People held their breath. As the hour passed, the sun rose, and Japan awoke not to tremors but to silence. Relief swept the nation, but experts warn the threat isn’t over.

The Earth did not crack open. The sea did not rise. At 4:18 a.m. on July 5, as predicted. It is a normal day today in Japan.

A manga artist’s viral prophecy of a catastrophic earthquake predicted to erupt from the depths of the Pacific between Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines failed to materialise.

The forecast had fuelled mass speculation, flight cancellations, and endless social media chatter. What made this prediction so viral and scary to many is the fact that about 1,000 earthquakes rattled the Tokara island chain south of the Kyushu region in Japan. But when the clock struck, nothing came. The viral prophecy failed. There was no megaquake or tsunami. Yet beneath the surface of relief lies a deeper truth; science says Japan isn’t out of danger.

Geologists and disaster agencies quickly stepped in to calm the hysteria while reaffirming a more pressing reality: Japan remains one of the most quake-prone countries in the world. Japan’s Meteorological Agency reminded citizens that while manga can't predict earthquakes, seismic activity is constant and sometimes sudden. But despite the advances in science, predicting earthquakes accurately remains a far-fetched dream.

While the prediction of the cartoonist popularly known as the 'New Baba Vanga' failed, the hype and hysteria are slowly turning attention to what really matters: preparation over prediction.

In two weeks from now, Japan will be voting for the upper house elections. The issue of disaster preparedness and management is slowly turning into a major policy issue. Every political party is promising to strengthen disaster response measures and promptly address issues related to ageing infrastructure.

Japan is one of the most seismically active nations on Earth, owing to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates meet. It experiences about 1,500 earthquakes each year. However, most of these tremblors are mild. But sometimes there is a massive one. In the year 2011, a 9.1 earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, triggering a massive tsunami into the northeast coast. It claimed more than 18,000 lives.