Re: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

[maya]

We just had a strong earthquake in Japan. Magnitude was 7.9 the news said.
What a year this year is.
Maya

[Ross]

It is so sad Maya. I am seeing live pictures of a tsunami which has hit the Northern part of Japan. They were expecting a 6m high tsunami. Sounds like they felt it strongly in Tokyo. Plus there was a quake in China which killed some people too. The size of the quake has now been upgraded to 8.8 which is massive.

[Libby]

Oh, so it is true. One thing I saw said 7.2. Wow, 7.9 must be huge! I hope everybody's okay.

[spiderman]

Mar 11, 2011 6:39:15 GMT Libby said:

Oh, so it is true. One thing I saw said 7.2. Wow, 7.9 must be huge! I hope everybody's okay.

as an indication, they just had an aftershock of 7.2, the original earthquake was upgraded again [damn mathmaticians] to 8.8; 45x larger than CHC

the spiderman

[Ross]

This earthquake in Japan is tragic. You can see several tsunamis heading for the shore on live TV. I hope people have time to head inland.

[Libby]

Yes, I just saw this on the news now. I'm getting scared now. They said that "so far" there are no tsunami warnings for WA state. But the fact they even say that at all seems to say that it's entirely possible that it could travel in this direction.

[spiderman]

Mar 11, 2011 7:17:47 GMT Libby said:

Yes, I just saw this on the news now. I'm getting scared now. They said that "so far" there are no tsunami warnings for WA state. But the fact they even say that at all seems to say that it's entirely possible that it could travel in this direction.

oh, its quite possible.. it'll take 15 hours for the tsunami to reach you though and when it does the sea level probably wont rise more than a few inches. that notwithstanding, you have until about 8pm hayley time to plan for the event

when the indian tsunami hit us [in 2001?] it put the sealevel up by 60cm; we didnt notice.

oh, and its now 8.9; this is getting like an auction... except no-one wins; oh, and its the 7th equal largest earthquake measured

the spiderman

[Ross]

A tsunami potential threat has been issued for NZ but it probably will not be very big here. A warning has also be issued for Hawaii. Australia has just issued a tsunami warning as well. On TV they said the wave will hit NZ in 12 hours and will depend on tides how high it will be.

[Ross]

Latest news is the 8.9 quake is the largest to hit Japan in recorded history and 7th biggest in the world. The tsunami is expected to get to Christchurch at 9:55am Sat but probably will not be very high here.

[Martin]

Red Cross says biggest concern now is the tsunami whose wave is higher than some Pacific islands.

It was surreal watching helicopter news coverage this morning of the tsunami wave flooding the countryside and cars desperately trying to keep ahead of it.

Martin

[tracy]

Ohh golly gosh, what’s happening at the moment, I can honestly say that with Floods, fires, massive earth quakes, tsunami’s and cyclones, record winters etc hitting our planet I feel ashamedly safe out here in the middle of no where land better known as the “Never Never “, the only thing we have to fear out here is an asteroid hit, somehow I wished I hadn’t of said that.
My heart goes out for all these people affected by these disasters, you feel so helpless and wish you could do something to help, and to think the aftershocks could go on for months in Japan. We have a quite large impact crater on our place, well there actually all over outback OZ but up until a few weeks ago I never really thought about how vulnerable we are too nature, to watch that tsunami on the news is quite frightening and I just couldn’t imagine a wall of mud and water coming at you like that . I guess you people that live in these dangerous areas that have all these issues from snow storms to quakes must be consciously aware all the time of just how vulnerable to nature you are. I guess all my life I have been aware that I live in the safest place on earth but up until now I have never really thought about it so much.
Much love Tracy.

[amptique]

I'm currently in Newark, California, on the east side of the San Francisco Bay. The tsunami is expected to hit this area over the next couple of hours. Luckily a low-tide phase is underway. Some coast highways are closed as a precaution. The BART Authority is considering shutting it down until after the waves pass. Expectations are that waves will be 1.5-3 feet here.

BillR

[grant]

Have also been watching the breaking news - one of the Japanese news agencies has just reported that there are some 88,000 people missing in Northern Japan following the Tsunami.

This is just too much! What is happening to the world???

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected.

Best wishes
Grant

[comet]

Recently the thought has crossed my mind that some of this may be the result of undersea nuclear testing, In proportion to the earth's size it is probably like letting off bangers beside an eggshell.

I know earthquakes have been happening for thousands of years,
But the surface of the planet is relatively thin and beating on it with nuclear explosions can't be helping.

Are the human race to be the authors of their own destruction ?

Note to self :
Must make space rocket in back yard from some old oil drums and Fairy liquid bottles.

[Sing]

Whoa... I first heard this news this morning during my English lesson..in fact we spent the hour-long lesson watching live news coverage...We're all in shock about it to be honest...some year this is already...I've some friends who know people who are in that part of Japan for work experience and are really hoping that they're all ok... and everyone else in that part of the world... I really hope that there won't be any more disasters this year...we've had enough around the world already...

Best wishes
Sing