Huge earthquake hits northern Japan

[thomas]

They reported that buildings were trembling even in Tokyo .

Huge earthquake hits northern Japan

A massive earthquake hit north and eastern Japan late Monday afternoon, registering 6 on the Japanese seismic scale in Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, immediate reports said. There were no initial reports of death or injury, however a fire broke out in a residence in central Sendai. The earthquake hit shortly before 5:30 p.m and tremors continued for about 40 seconds. Although there is no danger of tsunami, warnings of possible aftershocks have been issued. The Meteorological Agency is investigating the epicenter of the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale. The tremor was also felt in central Tokyo causing all Mainichi Daily News staff member at its office in the capital's Chiyoda-ku to rise from their seats. Updates will follow presently.

=> http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20030526p2a00m0fp021000c.html

=> http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/26/japan.quake/

Earthquake registering 6 hits Tohoku region

=> http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=261097&display=all

 

[thomas]

Here are a few pages showing the latest quakes

=> http://jarray.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/

=> http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/bulletin.html

IRIS Seismic Monitor

=> http://www.iris.edu/seismon/

http://www.iris.edu/seismon/views/eveday//imgs/topMap.eveday.gif

 

[Maciamo]

In Tokyo, it shook a little bit for 1min, but not enough to topple any objects.

Today's earthquake and 1995 Kobe earthquake were the same strength, but the fact that there was no serious damage and apparently no casulaties or injuries today is I think due to the kind of earthquake. Kobe was a vertical one, while today's was horizontal. Verytical earthquake are always much more destructive at equal strength on the Richter scale.

 

[thomas]

I have once experienced an earthquake in Cairo where building are not earthquake prove. It measured 5.9 on Richter scale and caused hundreds of casualties and substantial damage. That was quite traumatic.

I just wanted to share another weather portal displaying the latest quakes in Japan

=> http://www.tenki.jp/qua/quake_1.html

 

[luzie]

yeah that was really scary...
I'd never experienced intensity 5 earthquake
during my 23yrs life.
I was frightend but no one can laugh at me!
because the earthquake center was near by my city.
SCARY!
but no one died,lucky!