Earthquake in Hokkaido Japan

[Sharp Eye Washington]

Just read on CNN that an Earthquake (8.0 on the richter) hit Hokkaido. Is Mancuso still in Japan?

[Ish]

8.0?

graemlins/scared.gif

thats no good.

I hope people are ok up there.

[rob brito]

kobe in 1996 was a 7.2....let's hope for the best as there were 6000 who lost their lives then.

[Friday]

Damn, this is not good. Is David out of there?

[kev]

We've been getting some small ones out here in San Fran. They're expecting another big one out here between 2005 and 2010.

[Sharp Eye Washington]

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- An earthquake measuring at least 7.8 hit the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido early Friday, prompting authorities to issue tsunami warnings and to urge residents on the eastern side of the island to evacuate.

Several million people live on the island but there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage, although a fire broke out at an oil refinery afterward.

CNN Tokyo Bureau Chief Rebecca MacKinnon said tsunami waves measuring about 3 feet have already begun hitting the eastern coast of Japan's northernmost island, and officials warned all residents in the region to seek higher ground.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at 8.0 but authorities in Japan gave it a magnitude of 7.8. The USGS said the temblor was located 33 kilometers (20 miles) under the earth's crust and began at 4:50 a.m. local time (3:50 p.m. Thursday EDT).

Only six days ago a 5.5-magnitude quake shook Japan.

The September 20 earthquake was centered nearly 870 kilometers (540 miles) south-southeast of Tokyo, near Japan's Bonin Islands, a remote volcanic island group in the Pacific Ocean.

Seven women attending a memorial service at a Tokyo Buddhist temple were slightly injured when one of the temple's walls collapsed on top of them, officials said.

[Digiman]

I saw an article recently about a Japanese scientist who was predicting big Earthquakes around about now.

[Mah'chew]

I'm am sure that David will be checking in with the DHP at some point today.

Although the quake was between -6/-8 in Hokkaido the epicentre was out in the sea and was 70 metres in depth, so although most people's rooms have been shaken about and it looks a real mess on Japanese TV, there appears to be no reallly bad causalties...

The TV is reporting 122 injured at this point, this will be through things falling on them in their own home.

I am sure David is staying with Japanese friends, so they would have been able to help in an emergency and will be fully versed in earthquake procedure.

It woke me and the wife up in Tokyo, so it must have been a big one (in fact there was two).

The Kobe earthquake was less intense, but nearer the surface and in the middle of a major city...

I am sure David is okay, please confirm for us David, and has some stories to tell..

I trust he's escaped unscathed

Matt/Tokyo

[ September 25, 2003, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: Mah'chew ]

[Mah'chew]

Mt Fuji, an inspiration in Japanese art for centuries, erupted in 1707 but is still considered active. A volcano can only be listed as dormant if it shows no signs of activity for 2,000 years.

Mount Fuji is smoking today, no kidding, if she goes off you can say goodbye to all the trouble with North Korea :D

[ September 26, 2003, 04:03 AM: Message edited by: Mah'chew ]