11th March - Today's News: Massive Earthquake & Tsunami Hits Japan
Breaking news this morning.
Tsunami swamps Japan after powerful quake
Tsunami footage here
Live BBC coverage here
No immediate reports of serious damage from the quake itself, provisionally reported as Mag 8.9, other than a large refinery fire. But the tsunami appears devasating and will affect many other places in the next few hours.
Updates:
10 metre tsunami observed in Sendai port in Mainichi Pref.
Sendai airport under water
Cosmo oil refinery set on fire, nuclear reactors shut by earthquake
As it happened: 8.8 earthquake rocks Japan - Pacific on tsunami alert
Hawaii orders evacuations in Pacific tsunami threat
The quake follows a smaller on on Wednesday when a 7.2 tremor shakes buildings in Tokyo
Whilst another earthquake hits China southwest near Burma border
So, I see a super moon rising, but do I see trouble on the way? The coincidence should not be dismissed - there is some evidence that the Moon may have some impact on tectonic activity. That said, there were no major earthquakes around the time the moon was last this close to Earth in 1992. As far as I can see, the largest that year was mag 7.5 in Indonesia on Dec 12th - all others were 6.7 or lesser.
Further updates:
Japan issues emergency at nuke plant - no leaks
Hundreds feared dead as tsunami speeds across Pacific
Tsunami waves hit Ore. coast after sweeping Hawaii
Japan earthquake v 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami v Haiti earthquake
Other news:
More rain pounds flooded north Queensland
9 killed, 13 missing in flash flood in Aceh, Indonesia
Caught on tape: Alabama tornado hits hardware store
Extreme winter blizzards which brought chaos to the US could be caused by warmer weather in the Arctic (as, indeed, has been suggested for the cold weather we experienced at the start of winter - though of course here things turned very much milder in 2011)
Russian heatwave of 2010 attributed to natural variability
Ancient treasures threatened by climate change
Deforestation's impact on Mount Kilimanjaro calculated - important, because whilst the melting 'snow on the equator' has been highlighted by some as proof of carbon emission derived global warming, others of us feel deforestation and consequential changes in weather patterns is a more important factor, not just here but in many other places as well.
Tsunami swamps Japan after powerful quake
Tsunami footage here
Live BBC coverage here
No immediate reports of serious damage from the quake itself, provisionally reported as Mag 8.9, other than a large refinery fire. But the tsunami appears devasating and will affect many other places in the next few hours.
Updates:
10 metre tsunami observed in Sendai port in Mainichi Pref.
Sendai airport under water
Cosmo oil refinery set on fire, nuclear reactors shut by earthquake
As it happened: 8.8 earthquake rocks Japan - Pacific on tsunami alert
Hawaii orders evacuations in Pacific tsunami threat
The quake follows a smaller on on Wednesday when a 7.2 tremor shakes buildings in Tokyo
Whilst another earthquake hits China southwest near Burma border
So, I see a super moon rising, but do I see trouble on the way? The coincidence should not be dismissed - there is some evidence that the Moon may have some impact on tectonic activity. That said, there were no major earthquakes around the time the moon was last this close to Earth in 1992. As far as I can see, the largest that year was mag 7.5 in Indonesia on Dec 12th - all others were 6.7 or lesser.
Further updates:
Japan issues emergency at nuke plant - no leaks
Hundreds feared dead as tsunami speeds across Pacific
Tsunami waves hit Ore. coast after sweeping Hawaii
Japan earthquake v 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami v Haiti earthquake
Other news:
More rain pounds flooded north Queensland
9 killed, 13 missing in flash flood in Aceh, Indonesia
Caught on tape: Alabama tornado hits hardware store
Extreme winter blizzards which brought chaos to the US could be caused by warmer weather in the Arctic (as, indeed, has been suggested for the cold weather we experienced at the start of winter - though of course here things turned very much milder in 2011)
Russian heatwave of 2010 attributed to natural variability
Ancient treasures threatened by climate change
Deforestation's impact on Mount Kilimanjaro calculated - important, because whilst the melting 'snow on the equator' has been highlighted by some as proof of carbon emission derived global warming, others of us feel deforestation and consequential changes in weather patterns is a more important factor, not just here but in many other places as well.
I think it's probably unlikely the "supermoon" had anything to do with the earthquake:
ReplyDelete"So not only was it not at its closest point, it was actually farther away than it usually is on average."
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/03/11/no-the-supermoon-didnt-cause-the-japanese-earthquake/
Aye, but I suppose it's better than blaming 'planet Nibiru' for everything!
ReplyDelete