On 11 March 2011 a magnitude 8.9 earthquake shook the main island of Japan (Honshu) generating a huge tsunami of, reportedly, over 14 metres in height at locations along the Pacific ocean coast.

In the week and a half since the major quake there have been numerous aftershocks and ongoing concerns over nuclear contamination from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.


Recent reports indicate that over 25,000 people died in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami (though that figure is expected to rise). Tokyo is amazingly quiet with many people having left the city and now that radiation has been detected in food, milk and drinking water it is likely that Japanese people (and those in Tokyo) will be further on edge.

Details from the Japanese meteorological agency regarding the earthquake are below.

 
Date and Time: 11 March 2011 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC)



Magnitude: 9.0 (interim value; the largest earthquake recorded in Japan)


Hypocenter: N38.1, E142.9 (130km ESE off Ojika Peninsula) Depth 24km (interim value)


Mechanism: Reverse fault type with WNW-ESE compressional axis (by CMT analysis)


JMA Seismic Intensity: 7 (Max) Kurihara City of Miyagi Prefecture


6+ 28 cities and towns (including Wakuya Town, Tome City, Osaki City, Natori City) in Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Tochigi Prefectures


6- or weaker Observed nationwide from Hokkaido to Kyushu

Tsunami Warnings and Advisories: Issued 11 March 2011 14:49 JST (05:49 UTC)


Lifted 13 March 2011 17:58 JST (08:49 UTC)

Observed Tsunami: 7.3m or higher at Soma (Fukushima Pref.), 4.2m at Oarai (Ibaraki Pref.), etc

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