A magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck just east of the Japanese island of Honshu at 2:46 p.m. on Friday, March 11, 2011 created a tsunami which struck Japan and caused significant damage. Several hundred were killed by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Tsunami warnings were issued for dozens of coastal countries around the Pacific Ocean, including the United States and Canada. The magnitude 8.9 earthquake, which occurred at the subduction zone where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate interface, is the fifth most powerful earthquake in the world since the year 1900. This Japan Trench seismic region, part of the Ring of Fire, is a highly active earthquake zone and has experienced nine earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater since 1973. An average of one earthquake at or above magnitude 8 occurs around the world each year.
In addition to a major foreshock of 7.2 magnitude and three other foreshocks above M6.0 on March 9, the March 11 M8.9 quake was followed by thirteen aftershocks above M6.0 in the first four hours after the earthquake alone. Additional large aftershocks are to be expected in the days and weeks to follow.
In the hours following the earthquake, Internet users turned en masse to live video and reports from Al Jazeera English, YouTube, and Twitter. By morning, The New York Times' The Lede and CNN had become good sources for news and information. Those who want to help are encouraged to make a donation to an organization such as the Red Cross. (Image: Getty Images/Liz Whitaker)
Comments
This article is a prime example of how silly it is to post a story before realizing the scope. “…created a tsunami which struck Japan and caused significant damage. Several hundred were killed by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.”
Rather, how about something like this: “This quake and tsunami will dwarf the cost of every natural disaster in history. There is not any way yet of estimating the death toll except to say it will be large.” And this statement could have been made almost immediately after tsunamis hit Japan.
Hi Don: I wrote that post less than four hours after the earthquake and I had to say something about the fatalities when little information was known. Nonetheless, while this catastrophic disaster will be among the most costly, in terms of lives lost, it likely won’t make the top ten in history…
http://geography.about.com/od/hazardsanddisasters/a/worstworlddisasters.htm
…Another BIG ONE will hit TOKYO very soon, so Let’s PRAY that the JAPANESE STOPS KILLING & CONSUMING WHALES so that another TRAGEDY of a MUCH BIGGER MAGNITUDE will not come to pass… (..Mother Nature never forgets…)
sorry our fellow for been suffering from such kind of hazard.I nomally pray for you then nothing can happen agan.I’AM ATANZANIAN CITIZEN and now i’m taking degree at ST.augustine university at MTWARA center.under specialization of Geography and History.my intension is to creat a relationship between me and your country
That was crazy
THANKS for giving me this info.