Claims of manmade quake spread online after southwestern Japan disaster

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, killing at least 49 people and injuring hundreds. In the aftermath, claims circulating online suggested the quake might have been manmade, sparking widespread debate and concern. These theories, however, have been widely dismissed by experts as scientifically and logistically implausible. The controversy began shortly after the earthquake, with social media users sharing posts that questioned whether the seismic activity could have been artificially induced. A prominent user on X, a platform known for viral content, claimed that “the seismic wave is of an explosion, not a quake.” This post, attributed to a user with a history of disseminating false information, has amassed over three million views as of Wednesday. The claim gained traction rapidly, with search data showing a sharp increase in queries related to “artificial earthquake” in Japanese. Analysis tools from a U.S.-based company revealed that prior to the earthquake, there were hundreds of mentions of the term. On the day of the disaster, these mentions spiked to approximately 10,000, and by the following day, they reached nearly 38,000. Despite the surge in interest, many users on social media have refuted the idea that the earthquake was manmade. Nevertheless, the notion continues to circulate, with new posts appearing daily and reaching tens of thousands of mentions. Experts warn that such claims, while emotionally compelling, lack scientific foundation. The Seismological Society of Japan addressed the issue in March by creating a dedicated section on its website. It described the concept of a manmade earthquake as “unrealistic,” citing the immense technical, financial, and logistical challenges involved. According to the society, drilling a hole 10 kilometers or deeper, a prerequisite for triggering an artificial earthquake, would require substantial resources and time. The process would be extremely expensive, and even if completed, generating the necessary energy to produce a seismic event would pose significant hurdles. While historical records show that major tremors have occasionally resulted from nuclear testing, the society noted that the technology required to conduct such explosions at great depths remains underdeveloped. The deepest hole ever drilled, the Kola Superdeep Borehole in the Soviet Union, reached just over 12 kilometers and took two decades to complete. Misinformation surrounding the incident has also drawn attention from watchdog organizations. The Japan Fact-check Center, a nonprofit group, highlighted that false claims about the earthquake are being spread by individuals who either believe them or knowingly propagate them. The center attributes this phenomenon partly to the design of social media platforms, which often incentivize engagement through mechanisms that reward users for high interaction rates. Professor Reo Kimura, a specialist in disaster psychology at the University of Hyogo, explained that during times of heightened anxiety, people tend to gravitate toward simple, albeit potentially incorrect, explanations. He noted that attributing disasters to intentional human actions can feel more satisfying than grappling with complex scientific realities. Such narratives, he added, are often easier to accept and share, especially in the absence of clear answers. As the region continues to recover from the earthquake, authorities remain focused on providing aid and support to affected communities. Meanwhile, discussions about the origins of the quake persist online, underscoring the challenge of distinguishing factual information from speculative claims in the digital age.