Showing posts with label Earthquake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earthquake. Show all posts
2011-08-23
East Coast Earthquake - 5.8 magnitude
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook much of the east coast Tuesday afternoon, shaking buildings and sending people into the streets. The U.S. Geological Survey says the east coast earthquake was centered near Mineral, Virginia. The quake was the strongest one in Virginia since 1897.
2011-07-24
Earthquake Hits Northeastern Japan Again
Earthquake Jolts Northeastern Japan
Sunday, July 24th, 2011 - VOA
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake has jolted northeastern Japan in the same region that was devastated by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that the earthquake hit Fukushima prefecture early Monday. It says the epicenter was at a depth of about 35 kilometers in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Japan's Honshu island, 280 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.
A magnitude-6.4 quake struck the same area on Saturday. There were no reports of injuries or damage from either quake, and no tsunami warnings were issued.
More than 20,000 people were killed or left missing after the March 11 twin disaster in the region. Another 80,000 have been forced to evacuate their homes because of the radiation threat from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
An opinion poll Sunday showed that 70 percent of the Japanese public supports Prime Minister Naoto Kan's policy to make the country nuclear free in the future. The survey, by the Kyodo news agency, also showed that a vast majority — 67 percent — think the prime minister should leave office by the end of August.
He is under intense pressure to quit from political adversaries who accuse him of an inadequate response to the nuclear crisis caused by the natural disasters.
Japan Earthquake Article from VOA
2011-05-16
Japan to Shut Down Fukushima Reactors By Year's End
Japan Promises to Shut Down Fukushima Reactors By Year's End
Japan says it will shut down reactors at the Fukushima-1 power plant by the end of the year. The announcement comes despite revelations that a natural disaster in March damaged the nuclear facility worse than earlier believed.Serious troubles continue to beleaguer the operators of the Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture that was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami. But Prime Minister Naoto Kan told parliament Monday the damaged reactors will be shut down sometime this year.
2011-04-07
Powerful Earthquake Rattles Japan
Strong Earthquake Rattles Japan; Tsunami Warning Canceled
VOA - Martyn Williams | Tokyo April 07, 2011
A powerful 7.1 magnitude aftershock has rocked a large portion of eastern Japan, less than four weeks after an even stronger quake left thousands of people dead and caused a nuclear power disaster, but, this quake seems to have done limited damage.
The earthquake struck at 11:32 on Thursday evening and was centered under the Pacific Ocean off Japan's eastern coast in the same general area as last month's earthquake.
A warning of tsunami waves up to one meter in height was quickly issued, but withdrawn just over an hour later. The quake does not appear to have generated any high waves.
Video of 7.1 aftershock in Japan
Last month's magnitude 9.0 quake and the tsunami it generated killed more than 12,000 people and left more than 14,000 missing. More than 100,000 people are still living in evacuation shelters.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and other senior government ministers rushed to an emergency cabinet meeting after Thursday's quake.
A major concern was further damage to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and other nuclear power stations in the area.
Speaking two hours after the earthquake, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama said there had been no rise in radiation at monitoring posts near the three nuclear plants closest to the epicenter.
Fukuyama says two of three external power connections to Onagawa nuclear plant are down, but the plant is fine with the remaining connection. Onagawa's reactors were not operating when the quake occured.
The earthquake last month crippled the Fukushima plant, leading to leaks of radioactive steam and water. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company continues to struggle to prevent a meltdown of the nuclear fuel in the reactors. After Thursday's quake, TEPCO officials said there were no signs of new damage to the Fukushima plant.
NHK television reported a few light injuries stemming from the quake. The government says damage to the power grid had blacked out large parts of northern Japan.
The quake was felt far down the coast, and Tokyo, 300 kilometers from the epicenter, experienced strong shaking that lasted for at least a minute.
Strong Earthquake Rattles Japan; Tsunami Warning Canceled
Article from VOA
VOA - Martyn Williams | Tokyo April 07, 2011
A powerful 7.1 magnitude aftershock has rocked a large portion of eastern Japan, less than four weeks after an even stronger quake left thousands of people dead and caused a nuclear power disaster, but, this quake seems to have done limited damage.
The earthquake struck at 11:32 on Thursday evening and was centered under the Pacific Ocean off Japan's eastern coast in the same general area as last month's earthquake.
A warning of tsunami waves up to one meter in height was quickly issued, but withdrawn just over an hour later. The quake does not appear to have generated any high waves.
Video of 7.1 aftershock in Japan
Last month's magnitude 9.0 quake and the tsunami it generated killed more than 12,000 people and left more than 14,000 missing. More than 100,000 people are still living in evacuation shelters.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and other senior government ministers rushed to an emergency cabinet meeting after Thursday's quake.
A major concern was further damage to the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and other nuclear power stations in the area.
Speaking two hours after the earthquake, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama said there had been no rise in radiation at monitoring posts near the three nuclear plants closest to the epicenter.
Fukuyama says two of three external power connections to Onagawa nuclear plant are down, but the plant is fine with the remaining connection. Onagawa's reactors were not operating when the quake occured.
The earthquake last month crippled the Fukushima plant, leading to leaks of radioactive steam and water. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company continues to struggle to prevent a meltdown of the nuclear fuel in the reactors. After Thursday's quake, TEPCO officials said there were no signs of new damage to the Fukushima plant.
NHK television reported a few light injuries stemming from the quake. The government says damage to the power grid had blacked out large parts of northern Japan.
The quake was felt far down the coast, and Tokyo, 300 kilometers from the epicenter, experienced strong shaking that lasted for at least a minute.
Strong Earthquake Rattles Japan; Tsunami Warning Canceled
Article from VOA
2011-03-20
Japan - Engineers Prepare Damaged Reactors for Electrical Power
Japanese Engineers Prepare Damaged Reactors for Electrical Power
VOA - Sunday, March 20th, 2011
Japanese media reports say engineers at a stricken nuclear plant were preparing late Sunday to send electrical power into two nuclear reactors heavily damaged by a massive earthquake and a tsunami, as the toll of missing and dead from the twin disasters passed 20,000.
Japanese television said Tokyo Electric Power Company workers were inspecting equipment in reactors number 1 and 2 at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant, to make sure components were in working order. The report said engineers wanted to route electricity to the crippled plant's central control room by late Sunday, in a race to cool dangerously overheated spent fuel rods. TEPCO said it can begin collecting data on conditions in the reactors once power is restored.
The company also said pressure in reactors 3 and 4 showed some signs of stabilizing late Sunday. Additionally, authorities said the number 5 and 6 units — the least problematic of the six reactors — were safely under control after newly-restored backup power sources activated water pumps that cooled storage pool temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the government says Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan will tour an area 20 kilometers from the plant on Monday. That announcement came hours after Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the entire facility north of Tokyo will eventually be shut down because it had sustained too much damage to repair.
Japanese police said the tally of confirmed dead and missing from the March 11 catastrophes climbed to just under 21,000 by Sunday evening. Police said that estimate includes forecasts for nearly 15,000 fatalities in Miyagi prefecture, one of four northeastern jurisdictions that bore the brunt of the huge tsunami.
In a bit of good news Sunday, rescue workers pulled an 80-year-old woman and her 16-year-old grandson from a flooded house in the hard-hit city of Ishinomaki. The pair were evacuated by helicopter and are being treated in a hospital.
In another development, the Japanese government says elevated radiation levels have been detected in milk and spinach in Fukushima prefecture and in a shipment of fava beans shipped to Taiwan.
However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the tested food does not pose an immediate health risk. He said the government will decide Monday whether to ban sales and export of food products from the area.
Government health officials said Saturday that radioactive iodine was found in drinking water from Fukushima prefecture last week, at levels above government safety limits. Kyodo news, citing Japan's Health Ministry, says the iodine levels then fell. There was no explanation in the report as to why the information was not released sooner. The International Atomic Energy Agency says radioactive iodine can pose a short-term health risk if ingested, particularly for children.
The government also said trace amounts of radioactive substances have been detected in tap water in Tokyo and other areas, but at levels that are not dangerous to human health.
The risk of radiation poisoning has already forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 people who lived within 20 kilometers of the reactors. Many are in makeshift shelters, with inadequate food, water and other supplies, in frigid winter weather.
Japan raised the severity rating of the disaster from 4 to 5 on the 7-point international nuclear event scale. Level 5 signals an accident with wider consequences, including some release of radioactive material, with a high probability of significant public exposure.
Japanese Engineers Prepare Damaged Reactors for Electrical Power
Article from VOA
VOA - Sunday, March 20th, 2011
Japanese media reports say engineers at a stricken nuclear plant were preparing late Sunday to send electrical power into two nuclear reactors heavily damaged by a massive earthquake and a tsunami, as the toll of missing and dead from the twin disasters passed 20,000.
Japanese television said Tokyo Electric Power Company workers were inspecting equipment in reactors number 1 and 2 at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant, to make sure components were in working order. The report said engineers wanted to route electricity to the crippled plant's central control room by late Sunday, in a race to cool dangerously overheated spent fuel rods. TEPCO said it can begin collecting data on conditions in the reactors once power is restored.
The company also said pressure in reactors 3 and 4 showed some signs of stabilizing late Sunday. Additionally, authorities said the number 5 and 6 units — the least problematic of the six reactors — were safely under control after newly-restored backup power sources activated water pumps that cooled storage pool temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the government says Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan will tour an area 20 kilometers from the plant on Monday. That announcement came hours after Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the entire facility north of Tokyo will eventually be shut down because it had sustained too much damage to repair.
Japanese police said the tally of confirmed dead and missing from the March 11 catastrophes climbed to just under 21,000 by Sunday evening. Police said that estimate includes forecasts for nearly 15,000 fatalities in Miyagi prefecture, one of four northeastern jurisdictions that bore the brunt of the huge tsunami.
In a bit of good news Sunday, rescue workers pulled an 80-year-old woman and her 16-year-old grandson from a flooded house in the hard-hit city of Ishinomaki. The pair were evacuated by helicopter and are being treated in a hospital.
In another development, the Japanese government says elevated radiation levels have been detected in milk and spinach in Fukushima prefecture and in a shipment of fava beans shipped to Taiwan.
However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the tested food does not pose an immediate health risk. He said the government will decide Monday whether to ban sales and export of food products from the area.
Government health officials said Saturday that radioactive iodine was found in drinking water from Fukushima prefecture last week, at levels above government safety limits. Kyodo news, citing Japan's Health Ministry, says the iodine levels then fell. There was no explanation in the report as to why the information was not released sooner. The International Atomic Energy Agency says radioactive iodine can pose a short-term health risk if ingested, particularly for children.
The government also said trace amounts of radioactive substances have been detected in tap water in Tokyo and other areas, but at levels that are not dangerous to human health.
The risk of radiation poisoning has already forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 people who lived within 20 kilometers of the reactors. Many are in makeshift shelters, with inadequate food, water and other supplies, in frigid winter weather.
Japan raised the severity rating of the disaster from 4 to 5 on the 7-point international nuclear event scale. Level 5 signals an accident with wider consequences, including some release of radioactive material, with a high probability of significant public exposure.
Japanese Engineers Prepare Damaged Reactors for Electrical Power
Article from VOA
2011-03-16
Nuclear Crisis Deepens in Japan with Fire, Radiation Leaks
Japan's Nuclear Crisis Deepens With Fire, Radiation Leaks
VOA - March 16, 2011
The crisis at Japan's earthquake-stricken nuclear plant is deepening, with radiation emissions rising Wednesday to levels that forced authorities to temporarily evacuate the last technicians from the facility.
National television showed pictures of helicopters being prepared to drop water onto the Fukushima power plant's damaged number 3 reactor, in a desperate attempt to lower temperatures and prevent the nuclear fuel rods inside from melting down.
But NHK Television said the military aborted the plan after another helicopter flew over the plant to monitor radiation readings. Chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano said new preparations were under way late Wednesday to begin injecting water into the crippled reactor from the ground.
New fire erupts
Japanese awoke Wednesday to televised photos of a new fire at Fukushima's number 4 reactor, where a two-hour blaze on Tuesday released a plume of radiation that was detected as far away as Tokyo, 240 kilometers to the south. The new fire died down after a half-hour, and was soon replaced by clouds of white smoke pouring out of the number 3 unit.
At a press conference in Tokyo, Edano said the smoke was probably steam escaping from a rupture in the containment chamber housing the unit's nuclear core. Officials announced a similar rupture in the chamber of the number 2 unit a day earlier.
Danger forces evacuation
Edano said the skeleton crew of about 50 workers still struggling to pump seawater onto the fuel rods at all six of the plant's reactors had been removed from the plant for their safety, but that radiation levels appeared to be dropping by midday. He said later that monitoring showed radiation levels within 30 kilometers of the plant were not so high as to pose a threat to human health.
Even when they are not in use, the nuclear fuel rods remain very hot for weeks or months. Unless they are kept cool with a steady supply of water, their outer casings can melt away releasing radiation into the air.
At units 1, 2 and 3, the rods are inside thick concrete containment chambers designed to hold in any radiation, even if the rods melt down. But officials say the chambers surrounding units 2 and 3 have now been cracked, allowing radiation to escape.
Explosions have destroyed the outer buildings at all three of the units, caused when technicians vented steam from the containment chambers to ease a dangerous buildup of pressure. Seventy percent of the fuel rods at the number 1 reactor and 33 percent at the number 2 reactor are believed to have already been damaged or melted.
At units 4, 5 and 6, the rods were removed for maintenance before last week's earthquake and placed in cooling ponds outside the containment chambers. With the plant's pumping systems damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, those rods are also in danger of becoming exposed.
Worry spreads across Japan
The drama has caused alarm across a country already traumatized by the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan.
The governor of Fukushima prefecture, Yuhei Sato, said at a news conference that panic caused by inaccurate reporting of the nuclear crisis is preventing relief supplies from reaching the evacuees and victims of the earthquake. He urged nuclear power company officials to give out more accurate information and appealed to all Japanese to extend help to those who have been evacuated.
In Tokyo, residents have been buying up facemasks and protective gear while some foreign governments have warned their nationals to leave the capital.
Edano said Japan is preparing to ask the United States for technical assistance and may reach out to other countries. The International Atomic Energy Agency is also preparing to dispatch a team of experts.
Japan's Nuclear Crisis Deepens With Fire, Radiation Leaks
Article from VOA
VOA - March 16, 2011
The crisis at Japan's earthquake-stricken nuclear plant is deepening, with radiation emissions rising Wednesday to levels that forced authorities to temporarily evacuate the last technicians from the facility.
National television showed pictures of helicopters being prepared to drop water onto the Fukushima power plant's damaged number 3 reactor, in a desperate attempt to lower temperatures and prevent the nuclear fuel rods inside from melting down.
But NHK Television said the military aborted the plan after another helicopter flew over the plant to monitor radiation readings. Chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano said new preparations were under way late Wednesday to begin injecting water into the crippled reactor from the ground.
New fire erupts
Japanese awoke Wednesday to televised photos of a new fire at Fukushima's number 4 reactor, where a two-hour blaze on Tuesday released a plume of radiation that was detected as far away as Tokyo, 240 kilometers to the south. The new fire died down after a half-hour, and was soon replaced by clouds of white smoke pouring out of the number 3 unit.
At a press conference in Tokyo, Edano said the smoke was probably steam escaping from a rupture in the containment chamber housing the unit's nuclear core. Officials announced a similar rupture in the chamber of the number 2 unit a day earlier.
Danger forces evacuation
Edano said the skeleton crew of about 50 workers still struggling to pump seawater onto the fuel rods at all six of the plant's reactors had been removed from the plant for their safety, but that radiation levels appeared to be dropping by midday. He said later that monitoring showed radiation levels within 30 kilometers of the plant were not so high as to pose a threat to human health.
Even when they are not in use, the nuclear fuel rods remain very hot for weeks or months. Unless they are kept cool with a steady supply of water, their outer casings can melt away releasing radiation into the air.
At units 1, 2 and 3, the rods are inside thick concrete containment chambers designed to hold in any radiation, even if the rods melt down. But officials say the chambers surrounding units 2 and 3 have now been cracked, allowing radiation to escape.
Explosions have destroyed the outer buildings at all three of the units, caused when technicians vented steam from the containment chambers to ease a dangerous buildup of pressure. Seventy percent of the fuel rods at the number 1 reactor and 33 percent at the number 2 reactor are believed to have already been damaged or melted.
At units 4, 5 and 6, the rods were removed for maintenance before last week's earthquake and placed in cooling ponds outside the containment chambers. With the plant's pumping systems damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, those rods are also in danger of becoming exposed.
Worry spreads across Japan
The drama has caused alarm across a country already traumatized by the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan.
The governor of Fukushima prefecture, Yuhei Sato, said at a news conference that panic caused by inaccurate reporting of the nuclear crisis is preventing relief supplies from reaching the evacuees and victims of the earthquake. He urged nuclear power company officials to give out more accurate information and appealed to all Japanese to extend help to those who have been evacuated.
In Tokyo, residents have been buying up facemasks and protective gear while some foreign governments have warned their nationals to leave the capital.
Edano said Japan is preparing to ask the United States for technical assistance and may reach out to other countries. The International Atomic Energy Agency is also preparing to dispatch a team of experts.
Japan's Nuclear Crisis Deepens With Fire, Radiation Leaks
Article from VOA
2011-03-15
Sendai, Japan Struggles to Hang On After Quake, Tsunami
Sendai Struggles to Hang On After Quake, Tsunami
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Photo: VOA - S.L. Herman - A Sendai resident carries paper goods on a debris-filled street, March 14, 2011 |
As search and rescue efforts continue in northeastern Japan, following the country's worst natural disaster, millions of survivors there are trying to get on with life.
Many of are facing scarcities of daily necessities and spending much of their waking hours waiting in lines. It is a situation younger Japanese have never faced and only have heard about from their parents and grandparents who survived adversity during and after World War II.Along the estimated 600 kilometers of coastline devastated by tsunami, the city of Sendai is the most prominent place. Its sea port and airport have been destroyed and no trains are running through any of its rail stations. They all were critical links for the city's infrastructure.
Related video report by Henry Ridgewell
The killer waves reached three kilometers inland here, leveling buildings and trees.
Aid Sent and Offered to Japan
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Half of the city's one-million people have no electricity in their homes. Hundreds of thousands of residences and businesses are also without water.
Although downtown Sendai suffered some quake damage, it still essentially looks like a modern Japanese city, protected by its relative elevation. A limited amount of commerce continues, in an attempt to supply the stunned population with basic necessities.
Keiko Tanaka, six months pregnant, walks with her mother along a street in central Sendai, carrying a big box loaded with spinach, lettuce and onions. They had waited in line at a green grocer for 30 minutes and said the price of vegetables has doubled since Friday.
Tanaka says they are trying to stock up while they can.
Tanaka says although the interior of her home is a mess because of the quake, she feels lucky to live in this part of the city that still has electricity and running water. But her family is worried how long that will last, especially with scheduled rolling blackouts beginning across the country and official predictions of a magnitude seven aftershock coming any day.
Vegetable shoppers are not the only ones waiting in line. Hundreds of people can be seen patiently waiting to get into the very few clothing, hardware and convenience stores still open.
For drivers, finding an open gasoline station has become nearly impossible. The wait to fuel up can extend for hours.
Nearly all restaurants are shuttered. But in central Sendai, a branch of the Nakau beef bowl restaurant chain has stayed open. It is offering only one menu item - curry wheat-flour noodle soup. Every meal includes a cup of free hot water.
Manager Akihiko Yamaguchi says business has been predictably brisk since the earthquake struck, knocking out most competitors.
Yamaguchi says they have decided to remain open as long as possible to give the people of Sendai encouragement to try to carry on.
Residents, despite their weariness, express confidence Sendai will again thrive, noting the city has faced adversity before during its 400-year history.
Twenty percent of Sendai was destroyed by American bombers during World War II. It managed to rebuild, becoming the economic hub for this region of Japan.
Sendai Struggles to Hang On After Quake, Tsunami
Article and video from VOA2011-03-13
Help - Japan Earthquake, Tsunami - Donate
Donate and Help the People of Japan
Support Yahoo's Campaign to help Japan recover from the devastating tsunami and earthquake.
AMERICAN RED CROSS: Emergency Operation Centers are opened in the affected areas and staffed by the chapters. This disaster is on a scale larger than the Japanese Red Cross can typically manage. Donations to the American Red Cross can be allocated for the International Disaster Relief Fund, which then deploys to the region to help. Donate here.
GLOBALGIVING: Established a fund to disburse donations to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Donate here.
SAVE THE CHILDREN: Mobilizing to provide immediate humanitarian relief in the shape of emergency health care and provision of non-food items and shelter. Donate here.
SALVATION ARMY: The Salvation Army has been in Japan since 1895 and is currently providing emergency assistance to those in need. Donate here.
AMERICARES: Emergency team is on full alert, mobilizing resources and dispatching an emergency response manager to the region. Donate here.
CONVOY OF HOPE: Disaster Response team established connection with in-country partners who have been impacted by the damage and are identifying the needs and areas where Convoy of Hope may be of the greatest assistance. Donate here.
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS: Putting together relief teams, as well as supplies, and are in contact with partners in Japan and other affected countries to assess needs and coordinate our activities. Donate here.
SHELTER BOX: The first team is mobilizing to head to Japan and begin the response effort. Donate here.
Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: How to help
Information on how to donate and help Japan sourced from the below link: Click to read the full article at Yahoo.http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110311/wl_yblog_newsroom/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help
Japanese Struggling to Find Food and Water in Disaster Area
VOA - Sean Maroney March 12, 2011
Officials with Japan's nuclear safety agency said early Sunday morning there is an emergency at another nuclear reactor at a quake-hit power plant. The agency says the cooling system at the number three reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant is offline and could possibly explode, following Saturday's blast at the plant's number one reactor.
Reports quoting government officials say up to 160 people may have been exposed to radiation. Meanwhile, residents in the country's northeast are struggling to find food and clean water.
Aftershocks continued to hit northeastern Japan Sunday, several days after a 8.9-magnitude earthquake and resulting 10-meter-high tsunami devastated the coastline.
VOA Correspondent Steve Herman is near the power plant. He says locals are complaining that the authorities are not giving them accurate information about the situation fast enough. "One of the things the authorities are trying to do is not have any panic spreading among people, but information about what is happening is coming out of Tokyo not Fukushima," he said.
Herman says authorities still have not determined how much damage the country's coastline communities have suffered. "Japan just has countless little farming communities and fishing communities. And it is these fishing communities that have really taken the horrible hit up and down the northeastern Pacific coast. There is obviously just hundreds, if not thousands, of these types of towns and villages that have been totally or partly destroyed," he said.
The final death toll could range from the thousands to tens of thousands, depending on how many of these communities are gone.
VOA reporters managed to travel to Fukushima by plane, but many airports, roads and railways remain flooded or damaged throughout Japan.
Herman says that because of this, people are scrambling to find basic necessities, even in inland areas such as Fukushima. "People are just trying to find clean water. Food supplies are running out. In the convenience stores, there are no rice balls left. There is no bottled water left. We are facing a really serious situation in the days ahead for these people that are living in areas that were only moderately damaged," he said.
Overall, analysts say Japan could have fared much worse in the disaster.
Tokyo has invested billions of dollars into making the country as earthquake-proof as possible. Architects specially design high-rise buildings to flex in a quake. Tsunami warning signs and large seawalls line the Japanese coast. Even schoolchildren practice drills on what to do during an earthquake.
However in the end, analysts say that no amount of human preparedness is foolproof against the power of nature.
Japanese Struggling to Find Food and Water in Disaster Area
Japan earthquake, tsunami article from VOA
2011-03-11
Most Powerful Earthquakes in History
World's Most Powerful Earthquakes
VOA March 11, 2011
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan Friday
is the country's most largest, and the fifth most powerful in modern
recorded history.
Here is a list of the world's most powerful earthquakes since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
1. Chile (1960) 9.5 The world's most powerful earthquake, off the coast of
southern Chile, killed more than 1,600 people and left 2 million homeless.
2. Alaska, U.S. (1964) 9.2 This earthquake, and an ensuing
tsunami, killed 128 people and caused about $300 million in property damage.
3. Sumatra, Indonesia (2004) 9.1 The deadliest earthquake in recorded
history generated a tsunami that killed more than 227,000 people, mostly
in Indonesia's Aceh province, and displaced 1.7 million others across 14
countries around the Indian Ocean.
4. Kamchatka, Russia (1952) 9.0 An earthquake off the coast of the
remote eastern Russian peninsula caused no casualties, but generated
tsunamis across the Pacific that damaged property in the U.S. state of
Hawaii.
5. Honshu, Japan (2011) 8.9 The earthquake off the coast of Japan
and a subsequent tsunami killed hundreds, shook buildings in Tokyo and
caused significant damage along the country's east coast.
6. Maule, Chile (2010) 8.8 This offshore earthquake and an ensuing
tsunami killed at least 521 people and caused up to $30 billion in
economic losses.
World's Most Powerful Earthquakes
Article from VOA
VOA March 11, 2011
The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan Friday
is the country's most largest, and the fifth most powerful in modern
recorded history.
Here is a list of the world's most powerful earthquakes since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
1. Chile (1960) 9.5 The world's most powerful earthquake, off the coast of
southern Chile, killed more than 1,600 people and left 2 million homeless.
2. Alaska, U.S. (1964) 9.2 This earthquake, and an ensuing
tsunami, killed 128 people and caused about $300 million in property damage.
3. Sumatra, Indonesia (2004) 9.1 The deadliest earthquake in recorded
history generated a tsunami that killed more than 227,000 people, mostly
in Indonesia's Aceh province, and displaced 1.7 million others across 14
countries around the Indian Ocean.
4. Kamchatka, Russia (1952) 9.0 An earthquake off the coast of the
remote eastern Russian peninsula caused no casualties, but generated
tsunamis across the Pacific that damaged property in the U.S. state of
Hawaii.
5. Honshu, Japan (2011) 8.9 The earthquake off the coast of Japan
and a subsequent tsunami killed hundreds, shook buildings in Tokyo and
caused significant damage along the country's east coast.
6. Maule, Chile (2010) 8.8 This offshore earthquake and an ensuing
tsunami killed at least 521 people and caused up to $30 billion in
economic losses.
World's Most Powerful Earthquakes
Article from VOA
Earthquake, Tsunami Hit Japan - At Least 200 Dead
At Least 200 Dead after Earthquake, Tsunami Hit Japan
VOA - Martyn Williams | Tokyo March 11, 2011
At least 200 people have been killed in a massive earthquake in Japan that also triggered a devastating tsunami. The quake - the most powerful to hit Japan in at least 100 years - caused massive damage and many people are missing and feared dead.
Video images from coastal areas struck by the tsunami showed widespread inundation as mud waves carried tons of debris over farmland in Sendai, the capital of Miyagi prefecture. Large-scale damage could be seen in various locations along the coast. In Chiba prefecture, a massive oil refinery fire has broken out.
In Tokyo, hundreds of kilometers away, buildings shook violently and items fell from shelves. The roof of at least one building collapsed.
Piere Manea, a student in Tokyo, ran out of his university dormitory when the quake struck.
"We were in the university building and it was quite strong, so after a few seconds we decided to go down. We were on the fifth floor and it was really strong," Manea said.
The powerful quake struck Friday about 125 kilometers off Japan's eastern coast, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Addressing the nation, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the government would do anything it can to minimize the effects of the disaster.
Kan says he has created an office to deal with the disaster and maintain safety. He says the government will work to reduce the amount of damage to the smallest amount possible.
More than four million homes remain without power. Nuclear power stations, of which there are three in the region, either continued operating or were automatically shut down. Tokyo Electric Power said no radiation leaks were immediately detected.
The quake disrupted transportation across a large part of Japan. Trains automatically stopped, expressways were closed and flights halted.
Japan Rail has suspended all train services in the Tokyo region for the remainder of Friday. Hundreds of thousands of people are stranded in the city or have faced a long walk home.
Video clip: Japan earthquake
At Least 200 Dead after Earthquake, Tsunami Hit Japan
Article from VOA
VOA - Martyn Williams | Tokyo March 11, 2011
At least 200 people have been killed in a massive earthquake in Japan that also triggered a devastating tsunami. The quake - the most powerful to hit Japan in at least 100 years - caused massive damage and many people are missing and feared dead.
Video images from coastal areas struck by the tsunami showed widespread inundation as mud waves carried tons of debris over farmland in Sendai, the capital of Miyagi prefecture. Large-scale damage could be seen in various locations along the coast. In Chiba prefecture, a massive oil refinery fire has broken out.
In Tokyo, hundreds of kilometers away, buildings shook violently and items fell from shelves. The roof of at least one building collapsed.
Piere Manea, a student in Tokyo, ran out of his university dormitory when the quake struck.
"We were in the university building and it was quite strong, so after a few seconds we decided to go down. We were on the fifth floor and it was really strong," Manea said.
The powerful quake struck Friday about 125 kilometers off Japan's eastern coast, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Addressing the nation, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the government would do anything it can to minimize the effects of the disaster.
Kan says he has created an office to deal with the disaster and maintain safety. He says the government will work to reduce the amount of damage to the smallest amount possible.
More than four million homes remain without power. Nuclear power stations, of which there are three in the region, either continued operating or were automatically shut down. Tokyo Electric Power said no radiation leaks were immediately detected.
The quake disrupted transportation across a large part of Japan. Trains automatically stopped, expressways were closed and flights halted.
Japan Rail has suspended all train services in the Tokyo region for the remainder of Friday. Hundreds of thousands of people are stranded in the city or have faced a long walk home.
Video clip: Japan earthquake
At Least 200 Dead after Earthquake, Tsunami Hit Japan
Article from VOA
2011-02-22
Earthquake Strikes New Zealand city, Christchurch
Deadly Earthquake Strikes New Zealand
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Rescue workers look for victims on the collapsed Pyne Gould Guinness building where people remain trapped after a 6.3 earthquake hit the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, February 22, 2011 |
At least 65 deaths are being reported after a powerful earthquake struck the New Zealand city, Christchurch. Buildings have collapsed, prompting fears that residents and office workers could be trapped in the rubble.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Christchurch at lunchtime Tuesday, when one of New Zealand’s key cities was at its busiest.
The police think that many lives have been lost, including passengers aboard two buses crushed by falling debris.
Television reports show wounded people being helped by rescuers along damaged streets. Emergency workers and volunteers carried others from buildings, on makeshift stretchers, as panic spread.The U.S. Geological Survey says the 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near Christchurch at lunchtime Tuesday, when one of New Zealand’s key cities was at its busiest.
The police think that many lives have been lost, including passengers aboard two buses crushed by falling debris.
One survivor said, "I have never been in an earthquake. It just came and we could not get out. It had all collapsed and all the doors were shut. We had to smash the window out."
Another said, "It is surreal. It is like a dream you are going to wake up any minute."
Christchurch was hit by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake last September and a series of aftershocks has rattled the city ever since.
Many older buildings in the city center collapsed, and iconic Christchurch cathedral was heavily damaged. Power and telephone lines are cut in some places. Some roads caved in and at least one bridge has been damaged.
Thousands of people have fled buildings and gathered in the streets as a series of aftershocks hit, reverberating through the surrounding Canterbury district and beyond.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key told New Zealand’s parliament that those affected would get the help they need. The prime minister said, "What we do know is the people of Canterbury are once again going through a traumatic and frightening experience. My thoughts, and I am sure the thoughts of this House, are with the people of Canterbury. The government stands alongside you now for however long it takes to repair and rebuild your region."
New Zealand experiences more than 14,000 earthquakes each year. It lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most seismically active regions, stretching from North America to the South Pacific, and then north again, to Japan.
Deadly Earthquake Strikes New Zealand
Article from VOA
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