Huge earthquake..Japan

[Jeff]

Miyagi police say 200-300 bodies found in coastal area of Sendai city

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/76759.html

[seemslikeadream]

The earth giveth the earth taketh away

[WakeUpAndLive]

I find it interesting that a similar quake happened almost a year ago (Chile). It also sent warnings across the pacific ring for a tsunami.

It is amazing the force of the water, that car/plane/debris picture explains it all. I pray for the best for those who had to experience it.

[Nordic]

Damn after seeing the video of the tsunami rolling inexorably across that farmland, I wonder if I'll have dreams about that for the rest of my life. That is truly apocalyptic looking. There's just no way you could outrun that thing.

[anothershamus]

Two passenger trains have gone completely missing. And I guess in one of the videos there is a farmer trying to outrun the tsunami. The stuff of nightmares.

[23]

Does anyone authoritatively know if it is normal or not unusual for a major earthquake to have this many aftershocks with their relative intensities?

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ ... es_all.php

(excerpted)


MAP 4.7 2011/03/11 18:02:39 36.793 143.212 24.9 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 17:50:01 37.648 144.991 25.8 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 17:32:14 37.137 144.572 24.8 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 17:30:48 37.418 141.099 24.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 17:23:57 36.015 141.888 24.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 17:17:00 37.111 144.145 26.4 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.8 2011/03/11 17:15:00 39.016 142.517 51.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 17:12:41 37.564 144.069 25.1 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 16:55:53 37.779 143.171 25.1 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.8 2011/03/11 16:54:53 12.304 -87.514 64.3 NEAR THE COAST OF NICARAGUA

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 16:34:22 39.376 143.405 40.8 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 16:20:52 36.157 141.877 25.3 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 16:11:27 39.463 143.577 9.2 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 16:04:53 39.236 144.320 25.5 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 15:55:23 36.626 142.162 24.8 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 15:50:59 37.409 142.217 24.9 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 15:46:02 36.022 141.958 19.7 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 15:42:05 36.066 141.515 15.8 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.9 2011/03/11 15:36:16 38.907 142.722 24.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 15:32:34 37.216 142.233 25.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 15:19:38 36.233 141.856 25.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.2 2011/03/11 15:13:15 35.997 141.796 18.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 15:01:39 39.082 142.383 26.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.8 2011/03/11 14:56:16 35.979 141.367 25.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 14:54:04 35.919 141.819 24.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 14:44:08 36.655 140.769 25.1 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 14:26:31 37.431 142.254 13.2 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 14:20:20 37.947 143.183 25.2 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 2.6 2011/03/11 14:18:29 35.271 -92.339 4.0 ARKANSAS

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 14:10:39 37.575 141.963 25.5 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 14:00:38 36.151 140.845 30.8 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.9 2011/03/11 13:58:50 36.681 141.776 25.3 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 13:55:28 38.039 142.831 24.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 13:48:38 38.426 143.061 25.1 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 13:43:10 38.972 144.209 25.2 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.9 2011/03/11 13:42:27 37.410 142.009 25.3 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 13:34:36 36.249 141.850 35.5 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 13:31:55 39.152 142.837 25.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 2.5 2011/03/11 13:21:37 64.121 -147.324 17.1 CENTRAL ALASKA

MAP 5.8 2011/03/11 13:16:50 36.304 141.730 30.1 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 13:15:45 37.393 141.882 30.1 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 13:02:43 36.755 141.885 30.2 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 12:59:21 36.128 141.768 24.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 12:54:52 38.502 142.120 36.7 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 12:49:01 36.158 141.711 25.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 12:34:22 36.912 143.736 39.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 12:33:19 38.374 142.590 29.7 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 12:28:45 36.166 141.664 29.3 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 12:24:37 36.525 141.707 27.8 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 3.3 2011/03/11 12:15:07 51.200 -178.414 15.8 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA

MAP 5.9 2011/03/11 12:12:53 38.052 142.542 21.6 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 12:04:16 36.351 142.700 38.4 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 11:56:16 36.356 141.504 39.4 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 11:54:02 36.982 142.535 45.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.8 2011/03/11 11:46:47 36.034 141.055 47.5 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.8 2011/03/11 11:44:28 36.709 142.231 31.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.5 2011/03/11 11:36:39 39.276 142.521 11.6 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.7 2011/03/11 11:21:02 35.759 140.913 25.2 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 11:16:51 36.614 141.894 36.6 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 11:13:12 36.451 141.789 18.2 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 11:10:58 35.534 141.856 27.7 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 11:00:51 37.813 141.481 28.7 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.1 2011/03/11 10:58:06 39.060 142.213 30.3 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 3.2 2011/03/11 10:56:23 35.496 -97.090 4.7 OKLAHOMA

MAP 5.0 2011/03/11 10:52:08 38.534 143.346 29.9 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 10:45:46 38.466 143.591 41.1 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.3 2011/03/11 10:35:36 37.044 141.298 25.8 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.9 2011/03/11 10:28:44 39.447 143.531 29.3 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 10:20:27 36.966 142.289 21.7 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.0 2011/03/11 10:10:35 39.248 142.779 28.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 09:59:57 36.703 142.207 41.6 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 09:47:02 39.685 142.938 29.7 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 2.7 2011/03/11 09:45:07 19.295 -154.944 10.8 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 09:42:22 39.438 142.749 30.2 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 09:37:08 35.877 141.585 29.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 3.0 2011/03/11 09:33:58 19.382 -155.015 7.6 ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII

MAP 2.9 2011/03/11 09:24:53 19.351 -154.999 8.7 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 2.8 2011/03/11 09:14:36 19.329 -154.970 11.0 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 2.8 2011/03/11 09:10:26 19.355 -155.000 5.4 ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 09:09:15 37.717 143.267 36.2 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 2.5 2011/03/11 09:07:01 19.347 -154.989 0.1 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 2.8 2011/03/11 09:05:23 19.373 -155.001 8.5 ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 09:04:10 37.299 142.655 30.5 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 3.3 2011/03/11 09:03:38 19.349 -154.950 31.4 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 5.2 2011/03/11 09:00:20 37.056 141.966 20.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.6 2011/03/11 08:58:26 19.340 -154.992 9.3 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 5.4 2011/03/11 08:52:26 36.763 141.910 35.8 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 08:46:48 37.421 142.453 37.3 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.9 2011/03/11 08:40:56 37.465 141.122 38.6 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.1 2011/03/11 08:31:08 37.428 141.200 25.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.5 2011/03/11 08:19:24 36.200 142.000 19.9 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.2 2011/03/11 08:15:41 37.034 144.612 27.8 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.2 2011/03/11 08:12:05 36.606 141.557 19.8 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.5 2011/03/11 08:10:31 36.394 140.631 30.4 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.9 2011/03/11 08:01:59 37.071 142.734 22.6 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.6 2011/03/11 07:56:16 37.130 142.305 34.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.7 2011/03/11 07:54:45 37.742 141.565 45.3 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.8 2011/03/11 07:42:55 36.406 141.919 29.9 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.9 2011/03/11 07:38:27 39.250 142.783 29.1 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 4.4 2011/03/11 07:36:12 51.262 -178.401 22.0 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA

MAP 3.2 2011/03/11 07:32:13 33.508 -116.576 9.0 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

MAP 6.1 2011/03/11 07:28:12 36.802 141.911 24.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.1 2011/03/11 07:25:33 37.916 144.621 15.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.3 2011/03/11 07:14:59 36.648 141.811 25.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.9 2011/03/11 07:13:47 36.051 142.347 28.5 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 5.8 2011/03/11 07:11:00 37.899 142.734 30.0 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.3 2011/03/11 06:57:15 35.758 140.992 30.2 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.3 2011/03/11 06:48:47 37.993 142.764 22.3 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 7.1 2011/03/11 06:25:51 38.106 144.553 19.7 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 3.2 2011/03/11 06:18:04 19.350 -154.991 9.5 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII

MAP 6.8 2011/03/11 06:15:40 36.186 141.192 35.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.4 2011/03/11 06:07:22 36.401 141.862 35.4 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 6.4 2011/03/11 06:06:11 39.025 142.316 25.1 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

MAP 8.9 2011/03/11 05:46:24 38.322 142.369 24.4 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

[Luther Blissett]

Damn after seeing the video of the tsunami rolling inexorably across that farmland, I wonder if I'll have dreams about that for the rest of my life. That is truly apocalyptic looking. There's just no way you could outrun that thing.

Please note that in that video, eventually a highway, already engulfed in water off in the distance, comes into view, with cars trying furtively to turn around in order to outrun it. I can't imagine being on a highway, trying to turn around, and seeing a big yacht barreling across farmland on a flaming pile of detritus and seawater. I hope the people in those cars were able to make it out, but I don't know. The video cuts out. It's not likely.

[Jeff]

# Any radiation released would be low-level and the safety of nearby residents has been ensured: industry minister Kaieda (Kyodo) less than 5 seconds ago via HootSuite

# Fukushima reactor operator set to open valve of containment housing reactor to reduce pressure. Move may release radioactive steam. (Kyodo)

http://twitter.com/JAPANTIMES

[Project Willow]

The stuff of nightmares.

Absolutely horrific scenes on video and in photos. It's obvious we're watching people die.

http://www.komonews.com/news/national/117782413.html

SEATTLE - Tsunami waves from Japan's massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake brushed the Washington coast Friday morning after swamping Hawaiian beaches earlier in the day and sparking evacuations across the Pacific.

Kauai was the first of the Hawaiian islands hit by the tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Water rushed ashore in Honolulu, covering the beach in Waikiki and surging over a break wall in the world-famous resort but stopping short of the area's high-rise hotels.

Waves about 7 feet high were recorded on Maui, and 3 feet in Oahu and Kauai. Officials warned that the waves would continue and could become larger, and a scientist at the tsunami warning center said there was likely some damage to mooring facilities and piers.

"We called this right. This evacuation was necessary," said geophysicist Gerard Fryer in Hawaii. "There's absolutely no question, this was the right thing to do."

Fryer said high water reached Port Orford, Ore., around 7:30 a.m. PST Friday. Evacuations were ordered and beaches closed all along the coast, and fishermen in Crescent City, Calif., fired up their crab boats and left the harbor to ride out an expected swell. A tsunami in 1964 killed 11 people in Crescent City.

In Hawaii, roadways and beaches were empty as the tsunami struck. As sirens sounded throughout the night, most residents cleared out from the coasts and low-lying areas.

According to a map of tsunami impact on Seattle, The Saloon would be complete toast.

I just heard via BBC news that nuclear plant will be releasing some "radioactive steam" in response to its cooling problem.

[23]

Because nuclear and earthquake concerns are now overlapping in Japan:

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy ... -in-the-us
Nuclear power and earthquake zones overlap in the U.S.

Nuclear power is under the microscope as much of the world watches the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and the resulting tsunamis.

Fires near Japanese nuclear power plants are forcing evacuations and concerns for all the obvious reasons. Those concerns have traveled across the Pacific to California, where nuclear power plants are being shut down.

Let’s take a look at which nuclear power plants sit in the seismically active areas of the United States.

Generally, this concern is focused on the West Coast of the United States, because that's where most of our large earthquakes have occurred. There are no nuclear power plants in Hawaii or Alaska, but there are four nuclear reactor sites along the West Coast — one nuclear reactor site in Washington, two in California and one in Arizona. Here's a link to an interesting site, nukepills.com, where you can see the location of all nuclear power plants as well as the theoretical fallout zones.

Below, you can see the locations of the power plants, minus the fallout zones:



Now, these are just the power plants. There is a whole other issue with non-power nuclear reactors. These aren’t power plants, but research facilities such as universities where smaller-scale reactors are located. In all, there are eight of these sites along the West Coast. One is in Arizona, four are in California, two are in Oregon and one is in Washington. In all, the United States has 36 of these smaller sites, which can be seen below:



As you can see, most of the nuclear power plants and research facilities lie in the middle of the country. A good number that lie the West Coast are in the most seismically active parts of the nation, as this map from the United States Geological Survey shows:



Over the course of history, the concerns surrounding the nuclear industry have been focused on accidents and mistakes. This is what caused Chernobyl, and what has been blamed for the cause of Three Mile Island. Now, there is this new concern about what we can’t control. We can’t control earthquakes, we can’t control tsunamis, but we can control what we know. And these maps allow us to know where the major risks lie when it comes to nuclear industry and earthquakes.

[82_28]

Seems a little *too* quiet up here in the PNW. . .

[Project Willow]

^^

I just put on my sneakers. I'll have to see how far I can run up First Hill in 10 minutes. Eh, ...I'm toast.

Here: http://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Tsunami-Survival-Kit/lm/R37YEDF5OLHSXF

[23]

And if you were anywhere near a skyscraper during the earthquake, this is what you would've seen:

[justdrew]

Seems a little *too* quiet up here in the PNW. . .

the action is all off the coast here...


http://www.iris.edu/seismon/
http://www.iris.edu/seismon/zoom/?view= ... 127&lat=43

[Bruce Dazzling]

Indonesia volcano erupts, spews lava and gas
The Associated Press • Published March 11, 2011

JAKARTA, Indonesia – One of Indonesia's most active volcanos has erupted, sending lava and searing gas clouds tumbling down its slopes.

Volcanology official Agus Budianto said Friday that authorities were still trying to evacuate residents living along the slopes of Mount Karangetang.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.

The 5,853-foot (1,784-meter) mountain is located on Siau, part of the Sulawesi island chain. It last erupted in August, killing four people.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is located on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

The eruption happened hours after a massive earthquake in Japan that triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami.