Magnitude 6.8 Quake Hits Japan

Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes Eastern Honshu, Japan about 25 km ENE of Morioka

The quake caused substantial damage to buildings, collapsed power lines and left as many as 10,000 homes and businesses without electricity.

Cars were buried in a landslide, according to local news reports, and the tremor triggered dozens of fires. Fujitsu Ltd. in Iwate reported that its “semiconductor production machines were partially damaged.”

About 130 people needed hospital treatment, thousands more trapped in stranded trains, motorways closed and train services canceled. the tremor was felt widely in southern Hokkaido and in the main island of Honshu as far south as Tokyo.

According to witness reports, the quake caused strong shaking lasting up to 40 seconds in areas near the epicenter in northern Japan.

Japan sits atop the Eurasian, Pacific, Philippine and North American tectonic plates whose movements cause numerous earthquakes. The country experiences about 20 percent of the world’s major earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

People clean up the pieces of glasses shattered by a strong earthquake at an auto dealership in Karumai, Iwate prefecture Thursday, July 24, 2008. A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 struck off the northern Japanese coast early Thursday, injuring at least 91 people, causing blackouts and landslides, officials said. (AP Photo/Kyodo News). Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Did you know?

With a total of 203 earthquakes measuring 6.0 Mw or greater, 1995 experienced the largest number of quakes for the period 1980 to 2007 [2007 was runner up with 195 large quakes.] With a total of 110 quakes so far [as of July 23,] 2008 could prove a record-breaking year for large tremors. [The stats are based on USGS data.]

Historic Seismicity

Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green [USGS]

Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green [USGS]

Quake Details:

– Magnitude: 6.8

– Date-Time: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 15:26:20 UTC [Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 12:26:20 AM at epicenter]

– Location: 39.807°N, 141.467°E

– Depth: 111 km (69.0 miles) set by location program

– Region: EASTERN HONSHU, JAPAN

– Distances:

• 30 km (20 miles) ENE of Morioka, Honshu, Japan;
• 75 km (50 miles) S of Hachinohe;
• 120 km (75 miles) E of Akita;
• 485 km (300 miles) NNE of TOKYO

– Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 3.8 km (2.4 miles); depth fixed by location program

The Mainshock was followed by a magnitude 5.1 aftershock almost exactly 11 hours later at 11:27:42 AM (time at epicenter).

Location of aftershock: 39.576°N, 141.385°E
Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Distance: 25 km (15 miles) SE of Morioka, Honshu, Japan [455 km NNE of TOKYO]

Related Links:

• Powerful Offshore Quake Strikes Japan’s Eastern Coast [July 19, 2008 quake]
• Powerful Earthquake Strikes Honshu, Japan [June 14, 2008]

Powerful Offshore Quake Strikes Japan’s Eastern Coast

Magnitude 7.0 Quake – OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

The following is a release by the United States Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center:

Earthquake Location: Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green. Map: USGS

An earthquake occurred about 125 km (75 miles) ENE of Iwaki, Honshu, Japan or about 130 km (80 miles) ESE of Sendai, Honshu, Japan or about 305 km (190 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan at 8:39 PM MDT, Jul 18, 2008 (Jul 19 at 11:39 AM local time in Japan). The magnitude and location may be revised when additional data and further analysis results are available. No reports of damage or casualties have been received at this time; however, this earthquake may have caused damage due to its location and size.

The mainshock was followed by a 5.3 aftershock. A tsunami warning was issued for sections of Japan’s eastern coast. However, only a small wave of about 20 cm was reported.

Japan sits atop the Eurasian, Pacific, Philippine and North American tectonic plates whose movements cause numerous earthquakes. The country experiences about 20 percent of the world’s major earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

More Disasters Hit China

A Shrinking World Series

China aftershock destroys 71,000 homes, kills 6

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press Writer

CHENGDU, China – A powerful 6-magnitude aftershock destroyed tens of thousands of homes in central China on Sunday, killing six people and straining recovery efforts from the country’s worst earthquake in three decades. More than 500 others were injured. (Source)

Quake Data:

• Magnitude: 6.0
• Date-Time: Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 08:21:49 UTC
  Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 04:21:49 PM at epicen
• Location: 32.587°N, 105.424°E
• Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
• Region: SICHUAN-GANSU BORDER REGION, CHINA
• Distances: 40 km (25 miles) WNW of Guangyuan, Sichuan, China
  140 km (85 miles) NNE of Mianyang, Sichuan, China
  350 km (220 miles) NNW of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
  1275 km (790 miles) SW of BEIJING, Beijing, China

People walk on a collapsed bridge. A powerful aftershock on May 25, 2008 hit quake-ravaged central China damaging thousands of homes, killing 6 people and injuring dozens more. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Related Links:

• Powerful quake rocks central China
• Swelling China lakes a danger 2 weeks after quake

Related Videos:

• Fears for China quake dams
• China evacuee camp

China Quake Casualties May Rise Sharply

UPDATE # 3 – China Quake

Latest China Quake Statistics

Aftershocks: USGS has so far recorded a total of 41 aftershocks following the 7.9 magnitude mainshock that struck china’s Eastern Sichuan region. The latest quake, a 5.4 magnitude aftershock, struck 95 km NW of Chengdu, Sichuan, on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 10:54:38 AM [Time at epicenter.]

Casualties

[As reported by China’s Xinhua News Agency as of May 14, 2008 at 01:52:20 local time ]

• Death toll: More than 12,000 victims
• Injuries: 26,206 recorded cases
• Buried in Debris: 9,404 victims are still buried in debris
• Missing: 7,841 people remain missing

Photo taken on May 13, 2008 shows the scene of the earthquake-hit Beichuan County, about 160 kilometers northeast of the epicenter of Wenchuan County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Beichuan County is badly damaged in Monday’s quake, with great numbers of buildings collapsed and landslides around the county. (Xinhua Photo and caption)

Rescuers clear the rubbles at a elementary school in Liangping County of southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, May 12, 2008. Based on the latest government statistics, there are 11 killed, including five pupils, and more than 2.13 million people affected in the earthquake in Chongqing. (Xinhua/Li Jinfa. Xinhua caption).

A rescuer tries to help a stranded student out of debris at Wudu Primary school in Hanwang Town, Mianzhu City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 13, 2008. Teachers and students of the school are buried, the aftermath of Monday’s earthquake. (Xinhua Photo and caption)

A boy of Beichuan middle school wait for rescuers at the earthquake-hit Beichuan County, about 160 kilometers northeast of the epicenter of Wenchuan County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 13, 2008. Beichuan County is badly damaged in Monday’s quake, with great numbers of buildings collapsed and landslides around the county. (Xinhua/Li Gang. Xinhua caption). Images may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice.

More Photos

Government and Public Response:

About 20,000 soldiers and armed police are in the disaster areas in Sichuan Province and another 30,000 soldiers are joining the rescue operations, China’s Defense Ministry said.

Central government has allocated 860 million yuan (122.86 million U.S. dollars) as disaster relief to the areas affected by the earthquake cluster.

The public have donated 221.67 million yuan (31.66 million U.S. dollars) in cash and goods, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. (Source)

Related Links:

• Tens of thousands missing in China (Video)
• China’s quake: Why did so many schools collapse?
• More troops rush in to help China quake rescue
• Candle-lit vigil held for quake victims

• Update #2- Quake Aftershocks Hit China
  
• Update #1- China Quake Death Toll Nearly 10,000

• China Quake Kills 9,000
• China quake death toll nears 9,000

• Chaitén Volcano: No End Seen to Second Massive Eruption
• Will one or both of New Zealand islands break up and sink in the south-western Pacific Ocean?

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