Powerful Quake Hits Japan, Aftershocks Expected - Agency

[webfact]

Powerful Quake Hits Japan, Aftershocks Expected - Agency

TOKYO, April 13 (RIA Novosti) – A series of moderate aftershocks are expected to follow a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit western Japan early on Saturday, the country’s meteorological agency (JMA) said.

The quake occurred at around 05:33 a.m. local time (20:33 GMT) near the Honshu Island at the depth of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). There have been local media reports of at least eight people suffering minor injuries in the quake, but no structural damage has been detected so far.

The JMA said at least eight 3.0-magnitude aftershocks were registered within 90 minutes after the initial tremor and warned that jolts up to 5.0-magnitude might continue through the next week.

The quake caused a brief disruption in air and rail transport in the immediate area, while local authorities rushed to assure the public that the tremor had not affected the work of nuclear power plants and a nuclear research center in the region.

Japan is still recovering from a massive 9.0-magnitude quake that hit the country two years ago and caused a tsunami, claiming over 15,500 lives and triggering a number of explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

The devastating tsunami caused a partial meltdown at three of the nuclear plant’s reactors. Radiation leaked into the atmosphere, soil and seawater, becoming the world's worst nuclear disaster after Chernobyl.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/world/20130413/180617708.html

-- RIANOVOSTI 2013-04-13

[USNret]

wow, this is close to where I lived until recently.

[sprq]

wow, this is close to where I lived until recently.

How do you know? The report is ridiculously vague, merely saying off Honshu Island, which is the vast island that forms the bulk of Japan.

[pacovl46]

"The devastating tsunami caused a partial meltdown at three of the nuclear plant’s reactors. Radiation LEAKED into the atmosphere, soil and seawater, becoming the world's worst nuclear disaster after Chernobyl."

This should read LEAKING!!!

[pacovl46]

wow, this is close to where I lived until recently.

How do you know? The report is ridiculously vague, merely saying off Honshu Island, which is the vast island that forms the bulk of Japan.

Well, if he's been living on Honshu island then it was close!

[SOTIRIOS]

http://earthquakestoday.info/

[laislica]

wow, this is close to where I lived until recently.

Well done - you got out just in time.

[mccw]

More eath quakes these days

[USNret]

wow, this is close to where I lived until recently.

How do you know? The report is ridiculously vague, merely saying off Honshu Island, which is the vast island that forms the bulk of Japan.

First of all, if you read past the initial snippet, it mentions both "Honshu" and "western Japan" which narrows it down to somewhere southwest of Nagoya. I know exactly where the quake was because I checked usgs.gov, a website I am well familiar with as a life-long resident of the Pacific ring of fire. For heaven's sake, get a life!

Edited April 13, 2013 by USNret

[folium]

More eath quakes these days

No, you just get to hear about them more than in the past....

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/increase_in_earthquakes.php

For any given year you can expect on average 15-17 quakes of a magnutude >7.0 on the MMS and 1 > 8.0.

Obviously that's a long run average and earthquakes cannot read a calendar.....

Edited April 13, 2013 by folium