JAPAN

1-metre tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after quake

TOKYO: -- Tsunami waves as high as 1 metre rolled into north-eastern Japan Friday after a magnitude-7.3 earthquake struckthe region, the Meteorological Agency said.

The agency, which had issued a tsunami warning earlier, said thetsunami hit the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi prefecture, including thecity of Ishinomaki.

No damage or injuries were immediately reported from the tsunamior the 5:18 pm (0818 GMT) quake, which was centred off the prefectureat a depth of 10 kilometres, the agency said.

-- The Nation 2012-12-07

I think I would be quite nervous if I lived in Japan--I would most likely spend the rest of days on tranquilizers and anti-depressants.

I think I would be quite nervous if I lived in Japan--I would most likely spend the rest of days on tranquilizers and anti-depressants.

That should be enough to keep you calm and happy. They have had a bad run lately. Hope nothing worse happens to them.

I'm in Tokyo, it shook my apartment building.

Interesting piece re the Japanese alert system:

Jason Palmer Science and technology reporter, BBC News

Friday's earthquake has been a showcase for Japan's early warning system, first tested in 2004. Many on the ground say they received warning alerts on their mobile phones tens of seconds before the earthquake hit.

Japan's network of seismometers detects the arrival of one of two types of quake waves - the faster-moving but much less damaging "P waves". That surely allows precious seconds to seek shelter but in reality it is only detecting a quake, not predicting one.

The science behind longer-term predictions - hours, days or weeks in advance - is the subject of intense research. This ranges from using satellites to detect tiny deformations of the Earth's surface through purely mathematical approaches to harnessing animals' purported ability to sense coming quakes. But scientists are still some way from making reliable predictions - and avoiding the damaging risk of false alarms.

It may only give you 10-20 seconds, but it's better than nothing.

I think I would be quite nervous if I lived in Japan--I would most likely spend the rest of days on tranquilizers and anti-depressants.

That should be enough to keep you calm and happy. They have had a bad run lately. Hope nothing worse happens to them.

Indeed. My best wishes to everyone over there.