USGS: 7.3 Magnitude Quake Strikes Off East Coast of Japan
Source: Reuters
Strong earthquake hits northeast Japan
TOKYO | Fri Dec 7, 2012 3:31am EST
(Reuters) - A strong earthquake centered off the coast of northeastern Japan shook buildings as far as Tokyo and led to a tsunami warning for coastal areas of the northeast, public broadcaster NHK said on Friday.
The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3, the U.S. Geological Survey said. That was revised from an earlier estimate of 7.4.
A warning for a one meter tsunami was issued for the coast of Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan, which was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.
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FLASH: Warning for 1 meter tsunami issued for eastern Japan's Miyagi prefecture - NHK
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FLASH: USGS says 7.4 magnitude quake strikes off east coast of Japan
Reuters India ‏@ReutersIndia
FLASH: Tsunami expected to hit eastern Japan's Miyagi prefecture at 0840 GMT -- NHK
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/07/us-japan-quake-idUSBRE8B607Z20121207
Peace Patriot
(24,010 posts)TOKYO: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.4-magnitude by USGS was felt in Tokyo Friday, triggering a tsunami alert on the northeast coast and setting buildings in the Japanese capital swaying violently.
The tsunami was forecast to be around one-metre high, media said. Initial reports put the epicentre near to that of the March 11 quake that sparked a devastating tsunami.
- AFP/ck
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1241587/1/.html
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)And yes, it did shake my building.
Throckmorton
(3,579 posts)Stateside press reports indicate that there was little damage and few injuries.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)At first, there was some sort of upthrust motion, like someone was trying to heave the building upward. That was followed by a swaying motion, like a boat on a lake, that intensified briefly. The whole event lasted at least a minute. After that, someone turned on the TV in the office, and we found out that the epicenter was in roughly the same place it had been during last year's Big One. There were big banners on the TV image warning people in a major part of last year's tsunami disaster area to evacuate. While the estimate was for a maximum tsunami height of 1 meter, no one was taking any chances.
Fortunately, the tsunami was not a catastrophic one. Also, the greatest seismic intensity on land was only a 5- on the Japanese scale, meaning that things could have fallen off shelves, with maybe a few windows broken here and there. So, yes, there was little physical damage, although it undoubtedly shook up a lot of people emotionally, especially in last year's disaster area.
Festivito
(13,452 posts)7.3 would be about one fiftieth.
Celebration
(15,812 posts)Here in Chiba Prefecture, where I am visiting. It lasted quite awhile, thought it would never stop, kind of rolling.........Definitely the biggest earthquake I have been in, but nothing fell off the shelves or anything. It was way out to sea, so I doubt if there was much damage. This place is east of Tokyo, on a sort of peninsula. This is the second earthquake I have felt since I have been here (three weeks).
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)I'm in a neighboring prefecture. I've been here for a long time, and have probably experienced 1000 earthquakes or more. They can be rather disquieting, especially after what happened last year.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,321 posts)The wave hit the city of Ishinomaki, while the quake was also felt strongly in the capital, Tokyo.
...
Other people reported being alerted to the earthquake prior to its arrival by Japan's mobile phone-based warning system.
One tweeted that he was given 10 seconds and was able to slow his car before the shaking struck.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20638696