Earthquakes
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Bizarro Earth

Japan Earthquake Triggered Volcano Eruption In Russia?

Eruption
© PlanetSave
The major earthquake that hit Japan today may have just triggered some volcanoes in Russia as well. While reports are still vague on the incident, there is a strong correlation between the two occurrences. In Russia, there are reports that earthquakes where felt during the eruption.





Bizarro Earth

Earthquake and Tsunami near Sendai, Japan

Honshu Quake
© Earth Observatory, NASANASA Earth Observatory image created by Robert Simmon and Jesse Allen, using earthquake and plate tectonics data from the USGS Earthquake Hazard Program, land elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) provided by the University of Maryland’s Global Land Cover Facility, and ocean bathymetry data from the British Oceanographic Data Center’s Global Bathmetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO).
On March 11, 2011, at 2:46 p.m. local time (05:46 Universal Time, or UTC), a magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan, at 38.3 degrees North latitude and 142.4 degrees East longitude. The epicenter was 130 kilometers (80 miles) east of Sendai, and 373 kilometers (231 miles) northeast of Tokyo. If initial measurements are confirmed, it will be the world's fifth largest earthquake since 1900 and the worst in Japan's history.

This map shows the location of the March 11 earthquake, as well as the foreshocks (dotted lines) and aftershocks (solid lines). The size of each circle represents the magnitude of the associated quake or shock. The map also includes land elevation data from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and ocean bathymetry data from the British Oceanographic Data Center.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at a depth of 24.4 kilometers (15.2 miles) beneath the seafloor. The March 11 earthquake was preceded by a series of large foreshocks on March 9, including an M7.2 event. USGS reported that the earthquakes "occurred as a result of thrust faulting on or near the subduction zone interface plate boundary."

Bizarro Earth

Tonga: Earthquake Magnitude 6.1 - 12th March

Tonga Quake_120311
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time:
Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 01:19:07 UTC

Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 02:19:07 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
16.727°S, 173.174°W

Depth:
10.9 km (6.8 miles)

Region:
TONGA

Distances:
106 km (65 miles) SE of Hihifo, Tonga

229 km (142 miles) NNE of Neiafu, Tonga

355 km (220 miles) SSW of APIA, Samoa

2528 km (1570 miles) W of Auckland, New Zealand

Blackbox

Japan's quake shifts earth's axis by 25 centimetres

Image
© Wikipedia
Initial results out of Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology show that the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that rattled Japan Friday shifted the earth's rotation axis by about 25 centimetres.

INGV's report, which came hours after the devastating incident, is equivalent to "very, very tiny" changes that won't be seen for centuries, though, Canadian geologists say.

Only after centuries would a second be lost as each day is shortened by a millionth of a second, according to University of Toronto geology professor Andrew Miall.

"Ten inches sounds like quite a lot when you hold a ruler in front of you. But if you think of it in terms of the earth as a whole, it's absolutely tiny; it's minute," he said.

"It's going to make minute changes to the length of a day. It could make very, very tiny changes to the tilt of the earth, which affects the seasons, but these effects are so small, it'd take very precise satellite navigation to pick it up."

Bizarro Earth

Three volcanoes erupt almost at the same time after Japan Earthquake

Image
© unknown
Two volcanoes in Eastern Russia , Kamchatka and one other in Indonesia, have erupted around the same time as the Japan 8.9-magnitude Earthquake on Friday.

Meteorologist Kevin Martin is the lead scientist here at TheWeatherSpace.com and explains in his own way what may actually be happening.

"Waves from the Earthquake have been ringing the planet like bell, causing stress in all sections of the planet", Martin said. "Imagine a calm magma chamber that just needs one push, even if a few feet. This would be enough to cause instability in the chambers, causing volcanic eruptions in various locations. These three eruptions will not be the only mountains to go and other quakes worldwide will follow as the worldwide faults get disturbed.

Life Preserver

Massive 8.9 magnitude quake hits northeast Japan, triggering ten-metre tsunami sweeping away everything in its path


A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake has hit the northeast coast of Japan and triggered a tsunami warning across the Pacific Ocean.

There have been several strong aftershocks and a ten-metre tsunami following the quake, which also caused buildings to shake violently in the capital Tokyo.

Japanese media have reported at least 32 deaths and many injuries, with fires breaking out from Sendai city in northern Japan to Tokyo.

Two people have reportedly been killed by a collapsing ceiling at a Honda factory in Tochigi.

There are major fires at an oil refinery and steel plant in Chiba, east of Tokyo. Dozens of storage tanks are under threat at the refinery.

Comment: The Guardian has released this footage of Japanese MPs in session when the earthquake struck:




Bell

Best of the Web: Powerful earthquakes hit Japan - tsunami warnings issued across Pacific region

Strongest quake, measuring magnitude 8.9, triggers 10 metre-high tsunami that sweeps away homes, vehicles and crops


A series of massive earthquakes have struck north-east Japan, unleashing a 10-metre tsunami that swept buildings, vehicles, crops and debris across swaths of farmland.

The first 8.9 magnitude shock is said to be the biggest to have hit Japan in 140 years, rocking buildings 235 miles (380km) away in Tokyo and sparking fires.

At least five people are known to have died, but amid widespread reports of landslides, floods, collapsed buildings and fires the death toll is expected to rise.

The quake hit at 2.46pm (5.45am GMT), about 6 miles below sea level and 78 miles off the east coast. It was swiftly followed by five powerful aftershocks of up to 7.1 magnitude.

Attention

Massive 8.9-magnitude quake hits Japan - Eastern coastline inundated by multiple tsunamis

CNN's Ivan Cabrera reports as a powerful earthquake triggers tsunami waves off the coast of Japan.


Comment: Japanese state TV footage of the tsunami washing way inland:

Japanese Earthquake / Tsunami TV Coverage March 11, 2011





Bizarro Earth

Japan: Earthquake Magnitude 8.9 - Near The Coast of Honshu

Honshu Quake_110311
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time:
Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC

Friday, March 11, 2011 at 02:46:23 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
38.322°N, 142.369°E

Depth:
24.4 km (15.2 miles) set by location program

Region:
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

Distances:
130 km (80 miles) E of Sendai, Honshu, Japan

178 km (110 miles) E of Yamagata, Honshu, Japan

178 km (110 miles) ENE of Fukushima, Honshu, Japan

373 km (231 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan

Bizarro Earth

China Earthquake: Deadly Temblor Kills at Least 22

An earthquake struck China's southwest region today, destroying buildings and causing at least 22 deaths.

Chinese officials said the temblor, which hit while many people were taking their customary afternoon rest, had a magnitude of 5.8 and was centered on Yunnan province's Yingjiang county. (The U.S. Geological Survey, however, reported that it was a 5.4-magnitude quake.)

Here's a short news report: