Edited by: Manabu Hashimoto, Martha Savage, Takuya Nishimura, Haruo Horikawa, Hiroyuki Tsutsumi
The Kumamoto earthquake sequence that started on 15th April, 2016 resulted in more than 60 fatalities and brought about serious damage to society. It is the first time that the seismic intensity of 7 (on the Japan Meteorological Agency scale) was recorded twice within two days, which unnerved the population in the affected areas and made the response difficult. The earthquakes occurred on known active faults where long-term probability was disseminated, but such complex activity was unexpected. This unique sequence will clearly have a significant impact on the field of earthquake science and related hazard assessment.
This special issue presents results obtained immediately after the event, focusing on multidisciplinary researches regarding the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake sequence, the relevant tectonics and associated phenomena.
Publication started: 14 July 2016
Publication finished: 24 July 2017