Ghost Towns Left Behind by Japan’s Deadly Tsunami

A Dozen Towns Have Been Obliterated by Japan’s Megaquake-Spawned Tsunami

Japanese authorities say they have been unable so far to establish contact with local officials in about a dozen towns spanning the NE Honshu area. Some of the towns are believed to have been completely destroyed by the deadly tsunami.

In the small seaside town of Minami Sanriku (Population17,800), located in Miyagi prefecture and now almost completely wiped off the map, the authorities have established the whereabouts of of 7,500 residents who were evacuated; however, the fate of the remaining 10,300 people is unknown.

Related Links:

• JAPAN MEGA QUAKE UPDATE 3 – March 12
• JAPAN MEGA QUAKE UPDATE #2
• JAPAN M8.9 MEGA QUAKE UPDATE
• MEGA QUAKE STRIKES NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU

• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Japan 7.2 Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Honshu
• Honshu Earthquake Warning

Meltdown Confirmed at Fukushima Nuke Power Reactors

NUKE PLANTS IN QUAKE ZONES: EXPLOSIVE MIX!

BREAKING NEWS

Massive Explosion at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, Core Meltdown Occurring: Scientists

The explosion tore down the walls of a unit within the Fukushima power plant Saturday as a large plume of smoke poured out.  Several workers were reported injured, and Japanese officials said a reactor core meltdown was likely to occur.

Independent scientists have since confirmed that, based on the available evidence, reactor core meltdown must be occurring.

The pressure in the reactor had built up to more than twice the normal level, after the shutdown of cooling systems caused by the Sendai Mega Quake and its ensuing Tsunami. The Plant is now venting “radioactive vapors,”  Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said in a statement. Radioactive iodine and caesium has been detected outside the No. 1 one reactor of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi No. 1 plant, the agency said, adding that the uranium fuel rods inside the reactor may have begun melting.

Radioactive steam has been allowed to escape from a number of the reactors at the two Fukushima plants  in order to relieve the huge pressure that has built up inside the cores.

Tens of thousands of people living within the 20-km radius of the No. 1 plant and 10-km radius of No.2 plant  have now been evacuated.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Prime Minister has declared a state of emergency at the two Fukushima nuclear power plants.

As many as 300 people have received varying degrees of radiation, including 60 students at high school in Fukushima located about 3.5km from Plant No. 1, who were waiting to be evacuated.

The reactor core meltdown is feared to be “much worse” than the Three-Mile Island incident.

Background

• Radiation Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Posted by feww on March 12, 2011
• Threat of Nuclear Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Posted by feww on March 11, 2011

Related Links

• JAPAN MEGA QUAKE UPDATE #2
• JAPAN M8.9 MEGA QUAKE UPDATE
• MEGA QUAKE STRIKES NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU

• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Japan 7.2 Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Honshu
• Honshu Earthquake Warning

Global Tectonics Warning – March 12

FIRE-EARTH FORECAST:

NEXT MAJOR TECTONICS EVENT COULD OCCUR IN THE U.S.

Based on their Earth Model, FEWW Moderators believe the world’s next catastrophic tectonics event could occur in western United States with a probability of 0.74.

Notes:

1. The definition for western United States includes offshore west cost of the country.

2. ‘Tectonics event’ includes earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other geological events.

3. ‘Internet Prophets’ may not reprint forecasts made by FIRE-EARTH without quoting the source.

Related Links:

• US Volcanoes: Blasts from the Past?
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

JAPAN MEGA QUAKE UPDATE 3 – March 12

First Wave of Collapsing Cities Intensifying

New Earthquake West of Honshu Unleashes Avalanches, Destroys Large Sections of Nagano Railway

The quake measuring up to 6.6Mw struck about 45km NNE of Nagano, the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, west coast of Honshu.

The quake struck at a depth of about 10km Friday, March 11, 2011 at 18:59 UTC (3:59am local time), triggering large landslides and avalanches in the snow-topped mountainous area, and destroying roads and railway sections.

EQ Location Map. Source: USGS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

Sendai Mega Quake – Update March 12

NEW Major Tsunamis Warnings

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a new round of Tsunami Warnings for Japan Region, including Major Tsunamis Warnings for at least 18 prefectures (states) on the eastern coast of Hokkaido island, NE, E and southeastern coast of Honshu island.

Meanwhile, as the extent of damage becomes clear, witnesses speak of “colossal damage” from the Mega Quake and its associated Tsunami, with entire towns “washed away” along the eastern coast of Honshu.

FIRE-EARTH has estimated that the cost of damage could reach a trillion dollars.

Radiation Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

Radiation Leak Confirmed at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Reactor No. 1, Following Sendai Mega Quake

Nuclear reactor No. 1

Japanese authorities have confirmed radiation leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Reactor No. 1, and have evacuated people living with a 10-km radius of the reactor.

Nuclear reactor No. 2

They now fear radiation leak at the Plant’s Reactor No. 2, and have evacuated people living within a 3-km radius  of that reactor. They have also put on evacuation notice everyone living within a 10-km radius of the reactor

Death Toll from Sendai Mega Quake and the Tsunami

Confirmed death toll stands at 242 victims, with more than a 1,000 people reported as missing, as of 02:00UTC Saturday, March 12, 2011.

Earthquake FIRES

• There are at least 50 large to major fires still burning, as of posting.
• The 3 fires at Cosmo Oil Refinery in Ichihara City, Chiba prefecture (near Tokyo) were burning out of control, as of latest reports.
• The Kawasaki Steel Plant in Soga city (also in Chiba Pref) has reportedly “exploded.”

Aftershocks

At least 130 significant aftershocks (≥5.0Mw) have struck near March 11 Sendai Mega Quake, with the   latest measuring 6.8Mw timed at 01:47:16 UTC Saturday, March 12, 2011.

EQ Location Map of the latest significant aftershock measuring 6.8Mw. Source: USGS

Largest 5 Earthquakes Since 1900

The Sendai Mega Quake was the 5th largest earthquake to occur globally since 1900. The following image and list show the location, magnitude and other details of the shocks.

Click image to enlarge. Source: USGS/EHP

	Location	Date UTC	Magnitude	Lat.	Long.	Reference
1.	Chile	1960 05 22	9.5	-38.29	-73.05	Kanamori, 1977
2.	Prince William Sound, Alaska	1964 03 28	9.2	61.02	-147.65	Kanamori, 1977
3.	Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra	2004 12 26	9.1	3.30	95.78	Park et al., 2005
4.	Kamchatka	1952 11 04	9.0	52.76	160.06	Kanamori, 1977
5.	Offshore East Coast of Honshu, Japan	2011 03 11	8.9	38.32°N	-142.37°E	FIRE-EARTH

A list of the 15 largest earthquakes since 1900 is available at USGS site.

Map of Sendai Mega Quake

A map of the location of the Sendai March 11 Mega Quake, including foreshocks (dotted lines) and aftershocks (solid lines) incorporating elevation data from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and ocean bathymetry data from the BODC. Source NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge. Download larger image (398 KB, JPEG).  Acquired March 11, 2011.

Related Links:

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• 2011 – 2012: A Time for Mega Disasters
• 2010: Year One of Human-Enhanced Disasters

NEW TSUNAMI WARNINGS FOR JAPAN – March 12

Second Round of Tsunami Warnings Issued by Japan Meteorological Agency

Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a new round of Tsunami Warnings for Japan Region at 03:20 JST, Saturday March 12, 2011. A Major Tsunami Warning covers the entire eastern seaboards of Honshu and Hokkaido islands.

See below for tsunami map and list of the prefectures under TSUNAMI WARNING.

Source: JMA

Tsunami Warning/AdvisoryIssued at 03:20 JST 12 Mar 2011

Tsunami Attention has been issued for:

• KAGA AREA, ISHIKAWA PREF.
• FUKUI PREF.
• JAPAN SEA COAST OF KINKI/SHIKOKU

Tsunami Advisory

*KAGA AREA, ISHIKAWA PREF.
*FUKUI PREF.
*KYOTO PREF.
*NORTHERN PART OF HYOGO PREF.
*TOTTORI PREF.
*SHIMANE PREF.,EXCEPT OKI ISLANDS
*OKI ISLANDS
*JAPAN SEA COAST OF YAMAGUCHI PREF.

At the following coasts (* marks) tsunamis are expected to arrive right away.
KAGA AREA, ISHIKAWA PREF.
FUKUI PREF.
KYOTO PREF.
NORTHERN PART OF HYOGO PREF.
TOTTORI PREF.
SHIMANE PREF.,EXCEPT OKI ISLANDS
OKI ISLANDS
JAPAN SEA COAST OF YAMAGUCHI PREF.

—Tsunami forecast now in effect—

Major Tsunami

• IWATE PREF.
• MIYAGI PREF.
• FUKUSHIMA PREF.
• CENTRAL PART OF PACIFIC COAST OF HOKKAIDO
• PACIFIC COAST OF AOMORI PREF.
• IBARAKI PREF.
• KUJUKURI AND SOTOBO AREA, CHIBA PREF.
• IZU ISLANDS
• EASTERN PART OF PACIFIC COAST OF HOKKAIDO
• WESTERN PART OF PACIFIC COAST OF HOKKAIDO
• JAPAN SEA COAST OF AOMORI PREF.
• UCHIBO AREA, CHIBA PREF.
• OGASAWARA ISLANDS
• SAGAMI BAY AND MIURA PENINSULA
• SHIZUOKA PREF.
• WAKAYAMA PREF.
• TOKUSHIMA PREF.
• KOCHI PREF.

Tsunami

• PACIFIC COAST OF AICHI PREF.
• SOUTHERN PART OF MIE PREF.
• MIYAZAKI PREF.
• TANEGASHIMA AND YAKUSHIMA AREA
• AMAMI ISLANDS AND TOKARA ISLANDS
• SOUTHERN PART OF JAPAN SEA COAST OF HOKKAIDO
• MUTSU BAY
• TOKYO BAY
• ISE BAY AND MIKAWA BAY
• SOUTHERN PART OF AWAJI ISLAND
• BUNGO STRAIT COAST OF EHIME PREF.
• SETONAIKAI COAST OF OITA PREF.
• BUNGO STRAIT COAST OF OITA PREF.
• EASTERN PART OF KAGOSHIMA PREF.
• WESTERN PART OF KAGOSHIMA PREF.
• OKINAWA ISLANDS
• DAITOJIMA AREA
• MIYAKOJIMA AND YAEYAMA AREA
• ARIAKE SEA AND YATSUSHIRO SEA
• WESTERN PART OF NAGASAKI PREF.
• AMAKUSA NADA COAST OF KUMAMOTO PREF.

Tsunami Advisory

• OKHOTSK SEA COAST OF HOKKAIDO
• OSAKA PREF.
• SETONAIKAI COAST OF HYOGO PREF.
• OKAYAMA PREF.
• KAGAWA PREF.
• SETONAIKAI COAST OF EHIME PREF.
• AKITA PREF.
• YAMAGATA PREF.
• NIIGATA PREF.,EXCEPT SADOGASHIMA ISLAND
• SADOGASHIMA ISLAND
• TOYAMA PREF.
• NOTO AREA, ISHIKAWA PREF.
• HIROSHIMA PREF.
• SETONAIKAI COAST OF YAMAGUCHI PREF.
• SETONAIKAI COAST OF FUKUOKA PREF.
• NORTHERN PART OF JAPAN SEA COAST OF HOKKAIDO
• JAPAN SEA COAST OF FUKUOKA PREF.
• NORTHERN PART OF SAGA PREF.
• IKI ISLAND AND TSUSHIMA ISLANDS
• KAGA AREA, ISHIKAWA PREF.
• FUKUI PREF.
• KYOTO PREF.
• NORTHERN PART OF HYOGO PREF.
• TOTTORI PREF.
• SHIMANE PREF.,EXCEPT OKI ISLANDS
• OKI ISLANDS
• JAPAN SEA COAST OF YAMAGUCHI PREF.

Maximum Tsunami Observation Map, March 11

Source: JMA

Related Links:

• Radiation Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
• Threat of Nuclear Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

• JAPAN MEGA QUAKE UPDATE #2
• JAPAN M8.9 MEGA QUAKE UPDATE
• MEGA QUAKE STRIKES NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU

• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Japan 7.2 Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Honshu
• Honshu Earthquake Warning

Radiation Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

BREAKING NEWS

Radiation Leak Confirmed at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Reactor No. 1 Following Sendai Mega Quake

Fukushima Reactor No. 2 Threatens to Leak

Nuclear reactor No. 1

Japanese authorities have confirmed radiation leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Reactor No. 1, and have evacuated people living with a 10-km radius of the reactor.

Nuclear reactor No. 2

They now fear radiation leak at the Plant’s Reactor No. 2, and have evacuated people living within a 3-km radius  of that reactor. They have also put on evacuation notice everyone living within a 10-km radius of the reactor

Background

• Threat of Nuclear Leak at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Posted by feww on March 11, 2011

Related Links

• JAPAN MEGA QUAKE UPDATE #2
• JAPAN M8.9 MEGA QUAKE UPDATE
• MEGA QUAKE STRIKES NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU

• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Japan 7.2 Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Honshu
• Honshu Earthquake Warning