News / International
Japan struck by a massive earthquake
11 Mar 2011 at 04:42hrs | Views
An earthquake measuring 7.9 struck off the north-east coast of Japan on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital Tokyo, causing at least one fire and triggering a six-metre tsunami warning, NHK television and witnesses reported.
The public broadcaster showed black smoke billowing from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and bullet trains to the north of the country have been halted.
NHK said a tsunami of 50cm had hit Japan's northern coast.
The US Geological Survey verified a magnitude of 7.9 at depth of 15.1 miles and located the quake 81 miles east of Sendai, Honshu. The stock market extended its losses after the quake was announced.
Japan's north-east Pacific coast, called Sanriku, has suffered from quakes and tsunamis in the past and a 7.2 quake struck on Wednesday. In 1933, a magnitude 8.1 quake in the area killed more than 3,000 people. Last year fishing facilities were damaged after by a tsunami caused by a strong tremor in Chile.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
The public broadcaster showed black smoke billowing from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and bullet trains to the north of the country have been halted.
NHK said a tsunami of 50cm had hit Japan's northern coast.
The US Geological Survey verified a magnitude of 7.9 at depth of 15.1 miles and located the quake 81 miles east of Sendai, Honshu. The stock market extended its losses after the quake was announced.
Japan's north-east Pacific coast, called Sanriku, has suffered from quakes and tsunamis in the past and a 7.2 quake struck on Wednesday. In 1933, a magnitude 8.1 quake in the area killed more than 3,000 people. Last year fishing facilities were damaged after by a tsunami caused by a strong tremor in Chile.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
Source - Byo24News
