Japan Hit with Earthquake, Minor Tsunami Today [UPDATE: MEGAQUAKE]

UPDATE: It appears that the 7.2 quake on March 9 was a foreshock for an 8.8/8.9 megaquake in roughly the same area. More coverage on the top news and top resources regarding the Japan earthquake and tsunami here.

Read on for a description of the 7.2 foreshock, originally published on March 9th.

7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Japan

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Japan today. It hit off the coast and has not resulted in great damage or human injury.

It created a “minor tsunami” and shook buildings in the capital city of Tokyo for approximately 30 seconds, but it has not done much to disturb normal daily life in the country. Some train services were paused for a short time for precaution. Japan is in hot earthquake territory and is well-prepared for such occurrences.

The quake hit at 11:45 local time (2:45 UTC). The center of the tremor was 104 miles (168 kilometers) from the country’s east coast, northeast of Tokyo (see image above). The earthquake was about 5 miles (8 kilometers) deep. The tsunami that hit Japan was 24 inches (60 centimeters) high and hit the coastal town of Ofunato. Other towns in the region reported smaller waves.

Aftershocks of magnitudes 6.3 and smaller hit the area as well. All power supplies, including Tohoku Electric Power’s Onagawa nuclear plant, were reported unaffected.

Below is more information from the USGS:

Location: 38.510°N, 142.792°E
Depth: 14.1 km (8.8 miles)
Region: NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances:
168 km (104 miles) E of Sendai, Honshu, Japan
193 km (119 miles) SE of Morioka, Honshu, Japan
216 km (134 miles) E of Yamagata, Honshu, Japan
413 km (256 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan

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15 thoughts on “Japan Hit with Earthquake, Minor Tsunami Today [UPDATE: MEGAQUAKE]”

  1. Today we are facing a world-wide financial and political crisis.

    In various parts of the world countries, people and their leaders are dealing with the power of change – no matter the conditions, reasons and causes behind it.
    Egypt, Libya and more, are now struggling for piece, freedom, prosperity, at an unpredictable cost. They find themselves in unmanagable situations, where every party tries to enforce itself to the other.
    Financially Europe, United States and other leading world-wide powers are trying to keep their dominant roles.
    Other countries are facing bankruptcy with all its bad coincidences for their citizens.
    The big earthquake and tsunami in Japan, should wake up some minds and realize that the real player, dominator, final equalizer is life, nature itself.
    As for most of us God.
    Re-consider what we do, re-evaluate and re-think should be in our minds more than ever. Life is there to live.
    No need to harm, steal or prevail – it `s there for all of us.

    Otherwise we simply no more know what we are doing?!!!

    http://prosperity-planet.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post.html

  2. @Wilson…

    No one was injured? Apparently you didn’t see the videos before you wrote that.
    And Zachary, you may want to update the “minor” Tsunami tag…

    1. Apparently, a number of people were & dozens killed. 🙁 Not good news. Not sure what you would mean by “I hope it was due to global warming” (unless there was a typo)

  3. Earth already old .May be the doomday coming very nearest to us. That why the God reminder to all dont make broken earth with ours hands.

    Remembers all.

  4. Omg… God have mercy on people in japan… Let them be safe and people who have injured ger cured soon… And people who passed in T-Sunami souls rest in peace … God have mercy.

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