Thread: 6.7 earthquake hits Japan

Magnitude-6.7 earthquake hits Japan

Posted 5m ago

NEW YORK (AP) — A magnitude-6.7 earthquake rattled northeast Japan on Thursday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami warning center said that it did not expect a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami from the quake.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the quake that hit at 6:50 a.m. Thursday.

It was offshore of Honshu island, and was some 325 miles northeast of Tokyo, the USGS said. The quake was 19.9 miles deep.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011 ... nami_n.htm

Japan Rocked by Earthquake


Residents of northeast Japan were initially alarmed by a large, offshore earthquake this morning, which was followed by a tsunami warning. However, despite echoes of March’s deadly tsunami, Japanese officials said today’s incident did not result in any casualties or property damage.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, at 6:51 a.m., a magnitude-6.7 quake struck nearly 20 miles beneath the surface of the Pacific, 30 miles offshore of northeast Japan, or some 330 miles from Tokyo. Several aftershocks followed.

The Japan Meteorological Agency initially issued a tsunami warning, but rescinded it within an hour. News agencies are reporting that roughly 8,000 households were evacuated in the coastal towns of Kamaishi and Ofanato. However, the populace is reportedly resuming its routines, and train service was only temporarily disrupted. The U.S.-operated Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Hawaii, also acknowledged that the quake did not result in a tsunami.

Although the earthquake does not appear to have been destructive, news of it undoubtedly gave rise to memories of the March 11 incident, in which a magnitude-9.0 earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that destroyed countless homes and factories. The footage of the tsunami engulfing homes and buildings was played in heavy rotation for several days on international media. Estimates put the number of killed or missing from the March-11 tsunami at 23,000.

Associations with the March incident were especially strong due to the location of today’s quake, which struck off the northern prefecture of Iwate, roughly 100 miles north of the March-11 quake. The areas warned today, including those towns that were evacuated, are still recovering from the damage of the March tsunami.

According to the Associated Press, Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of the volcanoes and fault lines located along the Pacific basin. The area is dubbed the ‘Ring of Fire.’


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