March 11th, 2011 -- Posted in Earthquakes, Tsunami |
by Victoria M. Johnson
Earthquake, tsunamis, fires, aftershocks, and now a looming nuclear power plant disaster. Japan has been hammered in the last 24 hours. As the death toll rises and reports of over 700 hundred missing and thousands injured continues, we can only imagine what the survivors are experiencing.
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) map on 11 March 2011 shows the predicted travel times of the tsunami.
The USGS reports that since the 8.9 earthquake hit Japan, at least 124 quakes magnitude 5 or higher have rattled the area. But it could be worse in the disaster-struck country. According to the New York Times, “from seawalls that line stretches of Japan’s coastline, to skyscrapers that sway to absorb earthquakes, to building codes that are among the world’s most rigorous, no country may be better prepared to withstand earthquakes than Japan.”
However, the quake has forced the closure of five nuclear power plants in Japan. Kyodo News reported at 2:00pm that radiation 1,000 times higher than normal is being detected at the Fukushima nuclear plant. MSNBC.com interviewed, Edwin Lyman, a senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. “It’s just as bad as it sounds,” he said. But Steve Kerekes, spokesman for the U.S.-based Nuclear Energy Institute, said that while the situation was serious, a meltdown remains unlikely.
March 11th, 2011 -- Posted in Earthquakes, Tsunami |
by Victoria M. Johnson
At 2:46 pm a magnitude 8.9 earthquake rocked Japan. This is Japan’s largest quake on record, and one of the largest ever recorded in the world. The epicenter was 231 miles northeast of Tokyo. The quake triggered a 32-foot tsunami that pummeled Japan’s eastern coast, killing hundreds of people as it swept away everything in its path. In the cities closest to the epicenter, Sendai and Honshu, hundreds of bodies were found with over 500 people reported missing and 627 people injured.
Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami
More than 50 aftershocks have been recorded, with tremors reaching as far as Tokyo. The photos of the region show catastrophic devastation. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a tsunami warning has been issued for parts of the U.S. West Coast in addition to the earlier warning for Hawaii and the western Pacific islands. A 7-foot tsunami reached Hawaii at 9:00 am but did not cause major damage. Officials warned that the waves could get larger. A magnitude 7.3 struck this area of Japan two days ago, causing no damage.
February 25th, 2011 -- Posted in Earthquakes |
Crumbled concrete, twisted metal and mounds of brick still lay scattered across Christchurch, New Zealand. About 250 buildings and 341 homes have been deemed unsafe by investigators. But amid the reports of devastation, the worse news is the rising death toll. According to the New Zealand Herald, the official number of deaths for the Christchurch earthquake has risen to 145, and more than 200 people remain missing.
Collapsed building after the earthquake
Today (Saturday, Feb 26 in New Zealand) there have been 16 earthquakes, ranging from 2.0 to 4.1 magnitude. And on Friday afternoon two violent aftershocks, measuring 4.4 and 3.3 sent more masonry crashing down, distressing the nerves of rescuers and survivors in Christchurch. On day 5 of the Christchurch quake, hope of finding more survivors in the rubble is fading.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reported that there were about 600 unreinforced masonry structures in Christchurch and that the majority of them suffered some damage during Tuesday’s quake. However, California has about 7,800 such buildings in high-seismic zones. A sizable quake on any of California’s known faults could cause major damage. Then there are all the unidentified faults in Southern California. The Christchurch quake occurred on a previously unidentified fault system.
February 22nd, 2011 -- Posted in Earthquakes |
According to the USGS, the quake striking near Christchurch, New Zealand today was of magnitude 6.3. At a depth of 3.1 miles, the quake has already claimed 65 lives. And the city is still being hit by numerous aftershocks. This is a much shallower depth then the quake that struck the region in September. A 7.1 earthquake struck the city then.
New Zealand Earthquake
With residents already on edge, this quake has caused many to panic. The Christian Science Monitor reports collapsed buildings and major damage to downtown buildings including the Christchurch Cathedral. Christchurch is the country’s second largest city, where about 26,000 employees work full-time. The Daily Mail reported, “The quake was caused by the continuing collision between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, said Professor Mark Quigley, of Canterbury University.” New Zealand records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, but only about 150 are felt by residents. Fewer than ten a year do any damage.
May 2nd, 2010 -- Posted in Earthquakes |
Why has the Chilean earthquake disappeared from our radar? Is everything fine and well? Have things returned to normal in Chile? Strong aftershocks struck after the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred on February 27, 2010, lasting 90 seconds and leaving hundreds dead. Since then, more than 1.5 million people have been displaced. According to those who experienced the quake, “cars lay mangled and upended on streets littered with telephone wires and power cables. A new 14-story apartment building fell.” With more than two-dozen significant aftershocks, Chile has to be in turmoil.
Did you know the ensuing tsunamis killed 500 people and caused $30 billion in damage? The earthquake triggered a tsunami which devastated several coastal towns in south-central Chile and damaged the port at Talcahuano. Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries, causing minor damage in San Diego and Japan.
Just hours ago, on May 2nd, USGS reported earthquakes in Chile and elsewhere in South America. And Reuters reported a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hitting central Chile. That quake was felt in Santiago but there were no reports of damage.
Sadly, it seems it will be a quite a while before things return to normal in Chile.