Tsunami Hits Japan after 8.9 Magnitude Earthquake

[FastTadpole]

Biggest Earthquake to hit Japan in ~300 years.

Quote:Tsunami hits Japan after 8.8 magnitude earthquake
6:30AM GMT 11 Mar 2011

An earthquake measuring 8.9 struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital Tokyo, causing "many injuries", major tsunami damage and at least one fire.

The Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed cars, trucks, houses and buildings being swept away by tsunami in Onahama city in Fukushima prefecture. Black smoke was seen billowing from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and bullet trains to the north of the country were halted.

Television showed cars bobbing in water along side fishing boats. A 50 cm tsunami hit Japan's northern coast.

"The building shook for what seemed a long time and many people in the newsroom grabbed their helmets and some got under their desks," Reuters correspondent Linda Sieg said.

"It was probably the worst I have felt since I came to Japan more than 20 years ago."

US officials said the 8.8-magnitude quake struck about 250 miles (400km) from Tokyo at a depth of 20 miles. The stock market extended its losses after the quake was announced.

Japan's northeast Pacific coast, called Sanriku, has suffered from quakes and tsunamis in the past and a 7.2 quake struck on Wednesday. In 1933, a magnitude 8.1 quake in the area killed more than 3,000 people. Last year fishing facilities were damaged after by a tsunami caused by a strong tremor in Chile.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

A tsunami warning was in effect for Russia, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas. A tsunami watch has been issued for Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and US state of Hawaii.

http://digg.com/news/world_news/tsunami_...earthquake
Video + Full Article and Updates at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...quake.html

   
http://digg.com/news/world_news/projecte...impact_map
Source: http://twitpic.com/48dweu/full

USGS Earthquake Resource and Historical Data
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/

[lenstwo2]

We have been under tsunami alert for the last few hours here (Philippines). But since we are on the south-east side of the event, it is highly unlikely that we will be affected. The north and west shores of most islands are currently being evacuated to 50 to 100 meters inland. Expected is a wave height of about 1 meter during the next few hours.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/11/...-provinces

[FastTadpole]

Quote:Japan issues state of emergency at nuclear plant

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, the top government spokesman, said the nuclear power plant developed a mechanical failure in the system needed to cool the reactor after it was shut down. He said the measure was a precaution as there was was no radiation leak and the facility was not in immediate danger.

Professor Tim Abram, a nuclear fuel technology expert at Manchester University, said that as long as a reactor is shut down, it is considered "benign" until bosses decide it is safe to be turned back on.

..

Full Article and 10 Photos http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asi...76056.html

At least that bit is apparantly under control. The oil fire isn't nearly as under control as the Cosmo oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and is burning out of control, with 100ft-high flames whipping into the sky.

Related?

Quote:Indonesia volcano erupts just hours after massive quake in Japan
March 11, 2011 9:10 am PT

(TheWeatherSpace.com) -- One of the most active volcanos in Indonesia has erupted, blasting lava and hot gas down the slopes.

Mount Karangetang is located on Siau, part of the Sulawesi island chain. It erupted in August, killing four people.

This mountain is along the "Ring of Fire, the volcano chain surrounding the Pacific Basin.

The eruption took place hours after the Japan 8.9-magnitude Earthquake.

http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-...lcano.html

Eluding to the graphic earlier it seems that the risk of major Tsunamic effects on the West Coast of North America are low.

Quote:Tsunami threat eases on B.C. coast, but advisory remains
IAN BAILEY, WENDY STUECK, PATRICK BRETHOUR and JUSTINE HUNTER
VANCOUVER and PORT RENFREW— Globe and Mail Update
Published Friday, Mar. 11, 2011 5:20AM EST
Last updated Friday, Mar. 11, 2011 1:36PM EST

The risk to British Columbia as a result of the earthquake in Japan appears to be easing as a spokesman for the provincial emergency program said waves were minimal, though a tsunami advisory remains in effect.

“No damage has been reported in areas where the waves are coming in. Wave sizes are small and under a metre,” Glen Plummer said Friday.

The town of Tofino, at the west coast of Vancouver Island, told marinas, beaches and any other area that is below the normal high-tide mark to evacuate. However, the first impact of the tsunami did not threaten the town – but it created a spectacular vista of stormy seas.

“It’s pretty wild,” Tofino resident Kirsten Soder said.

In Port Renfrew, on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, residents were wakened by a tsunami siren in the middle of the night. Volunteer firefighters went door to door ensuring that those in homes close to the water to pass on the evacuation warning.

Families and pets gathered at a community school and recreation centre to sleep on mats.

..

More on the drumming up of fear on Canada's West Coast: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nati...le1938121/

[FastTadpole]

Then there is NBC glomming on to all things sadistic and drumming it up, not to downplay it but a couple tipped over boats is nothing but a ripple compared to the Tokyo tidal wave. But local news reports like this highlight the power of nature.

A bunch of people have jumped on the HAARP wagon too - but we've had some wild solar activity lately and Japan and the region does get a lot of quakes in the powerful 6+ range.

Quote:Tsunami Capsizing Boats in Santa Cruz
By RJ MIDDLETON
Updated 11:13 AM PST, Fri, Mar 11, 2011

As the effects of the tsunami roll ashore, many boats in Santa Cruz harbor are being either capsized, pulled out to sea, or both.

The areas of most concern, according to the National Weather Service, are the north end of Monterey Bay near the Santa Cruz harbor. The Santa Cruz boardwalk is closed.

Caltrans is sending portable toilets to the convergence of Highways 92 and 35, where many seaside residents have gone to seek higher ground.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Bay...88553.html

Here's some other fear monger stories that ramp up the tension around some stories above.

CNN reports with the headline Japan struggling to 'cool down' nuclear plant and Radiation leak possible at nuke plant, Kyodo reports.

Quote:Four Japanese nuclear power plants closest to the quake were safely shut down, the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said. About 2,000 residents near the Fukushima nuclear power plant were being told to evacuate, Kyodo news service said

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/11/liv...arthquake/

The biggest issue is tending the injured, disease, communication and restoring power. But the CNN folks anti-nuke movement is getting a lot of ink (bytes) on this one. Now is a good time to talk about and pitch Thorium reactors to counter the propaganda.

[lockntross]

Some great footage of the original 1923 quake in the 100 Years That Shook The World torrent

[FastTadpole]

3 Months Later in Pictures Japan Rebuilding in Pictures.
A nice collection of the reconstruction effort in Japan and how it is progressing showing many scenes in pictures right after the tsunami / earthquake and how they are shaping up now.

Japan tsunami and earthquake: Three months later
http://in.news.yahoo.com/japan-tsunami-a...10613.html

Maybe New Orleans could take some lessons, well actually maybe they should have moved above sea level. Then again Japan is in a super high risk quake zone.

Note/Disclaimer: These are Associated Press photos directed at India. Has anyone seen them released in the US or even European media stream yet?

[FastTadpole]

NASA report on Tsunami data.. why did this take so long to analyze/release?

Quote:Japan Disaster Was Two Tsunamis Rolled into One
December 7th, 2011 4:17 PM
by Valerie Ross in Environment


Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/Ohio State University

Satellite radar data showed two wave fronts combining into a doubly tall tsunami off the coast of Japan on March 11.

The tsunami that spawned by the 9.0 earthquake off Japan this March was a disaster of massive proportions, reaching heights of over 130 feet in some areas and traveling up to six miles inland in others. Scientists at NASA and Ohio State University have now found another factor, beyond the sheer strength of the quake, that made the tsunami so ferocious: It started out as two separate walls of waves that combined to form one taller, more powerful “merging tsunami.”

Three different satellites happened to fly over the tsunami on March 11. Using their onboard radar altimeters, the satellites could gauge sea level changes within inches, producing a detailed picture of how the tsunami developed—and why it was so destructive when it hit land. As NASA explains:

Data from NASA and European radar satellites captured at least two wave fronts that day. The fronts merged to form a single, double-high wave far out at sea. This wave was capable of traveling long distances without losing power. Ocean ridges and undersea mountain chains pushed the waves together along certain directions from the tsunami’s origin.

While scientists have long suspected that such merging tsunamis exist, this is the first time they’ve been able to observe one. Understanding how and where these extra-strength tsunamis form, the researchers say, could help them build more accurate hazard maps for coastal areas.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beat...-into-one/

[Easy Skanking]

I don't know why they have to give it some other name. This is constructive wave interference and can be present in any form of energy propagating through a medium be it tsunami waves, electromagnetic waves or earthquakes. Sure it may be the first time it was observed by satellites but it should be no surprise that this happens.

[h3rm35]

supposedly the wake of the tsunami has caught up the US NRC... The Chairman or Director or whatever they call him wants to create grater safeguard to prevent issues like those that arose from this in Japan, and the other bigwigs all oppose it, to the point that they sent a letter to Obama saying that they believe the guy´s a lunatic or something. I´d be amazed if he actually catered to them, considering what the guy suggests sounds like a jobs porgram that´ll end up being funded by the private nuclear power sector, so you can pretty much guess how the bobble-headed blowhards and the idols that they worship land on the topic... the argument could end up wiping out or completely restructuring the agency that supposedly protects Americans from the dangers of nuclear power... look for this to make headlines as it progresses, and if not, something is gooing on behind the scenes that´s very, very wrong (even more so than what already is...)

interesting to note, Guiliani Partners, RudE The Fascist´s firm, make boatloads of money from nuclear energy, specifically from the Indian Point plant in Peekskill, NY,(link1) less than an hour´s train ride or drive from NYC and on the Hudson River (link2)