Major quake strikes off Japan, raising risk of tsunami

(CNN) -- A powerful earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday evening, rattling buildings in Tokyo and raising the risk of a tsunami.

The 7.3-magnitude quake hit 492 kilometers (306 miles) east-northeast of Tokyo, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned a tsunami as high as two meters could hit the country's northeast coast following the quake, which struck out at sea.

The agency issued the warning for Miyagi Prefecture, the hardest hit area by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck in March 2011.

But the quake Friday hasn't created a widespread threat of a tsunami in the Pacific, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

                                                                                    source:  cnn.com

Update:  Tsunami of 1 meter hits the Coast of Japan 

6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southeast of Lakatoro, Vanuatu!

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake has struck southeast of the Pacific island nation Vanuatu, just after 00:54:23 UTC local time and was located 17.012° south 167.626° east.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the tremor had a depth of 34.1 kilometres (km) or 21.2 miles. The epicentre was determined to be at 101 km (63 miles) southeast of Lakatoro, Vanuatu; 108 km (67 miles) northwest of Port-Vila, Vanuatu; 170 km (106 miles) southeast of Luganville, Vanuatu; 433 km (269 miles) north of We, New Caledonia; and 581 km (361 miles) northeast of Dumbea, New Caledonia.
There is no immediate report of damage and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says there’s no threat of a tsunami.

6.8 Magnitude Earthquake - Russia

An earthquake of preliminary magnitude 6.8 struck today near the Kuril Islands, a remote archipelago between Russia's Far East and Japan, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The temblor's epicenter was 100 miles (161 km) south-southwest of Severo-Kuril'sk, Russia, and 1,231 miles (1,981 km) northeast of Tokyo, Japan. It originated 3 miles (4.9 km) deep and struck at 4:12 a.m. Saturday local time [1812 Friday UTC], the USGS reports.
Earthquakes of this size are considered major and can cause significant damage, especially with poorly built structures. Even well designed buildings can be damaged or, in some cases, destroyed depending on the severity of the quake and a building’s proximity to the epicenter. Earthquakes of this size are sometimes followed by significant aftershocks.
But the damage caused by any single event depends on the quake's depth, proximity to populated areas, building standards in the region, as well as the type of earthquake. The USGS frequently updates the magnitude of an event after more data is analyzed.
An earthquake's magnitude is a measure of the energy released at the source. It is just one predictor of the shaking that may ensue, which is affected by local and regional geology. Scientists know in a general sense what causes Earthquakes but are unable to predict specific quakes.

Earthquake Warning for Major Quake in western Chile.

The Warning is Valid for the Next 100 Hours (4 days). An extention of the Warning is Possible. Follow carefully the instructions of the competent authority. The Risk of a Major quake is high!


Team Earthquake Diary

M 6.1 Strong earthquake hits Chile

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck western Chile.

centred 480km north of the capital, Santiago and 89km north-west of the port city of Coquimbo was at a depth of 61.8km.  It hit at 4.02pm Wednesday local time.
No reports of injuries

Chile's state emergency office, Onemi, said there were no reports of injuries, disruptions to basic services or infrastructure damage as a result of the tremor.

The navy said the quake did not meet the conditions needed to trigger a tsunami.

World No.1 copper producer Codelco said its operations were normal, and no mines in the metal-producing country reported damages.

Seismically active Chile was battered in February 2010 by an 8.8 magnitude quake and ensuing tsunami, which caused billions in damage and killed hundreds.

Powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes the Gulf of Alaska

ALASKA – A powerful, deep 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Gulf of Alaska at a depth of about 55 km (34.3 miles). The epicenter of the earthquake was about 562 km (349 miles) SE (133°) from Anchorage, AK. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami warning was not issued for the earthquake, that was followed by at least two minor aftershocks. There have been no reports of damages or injuries. Today’s earthquake is the latest in a series of powerful quakes that has seen the planet reeling from increased seismicity activity, from Guatemala to Myanmar. Clearly, a season of planetary geological change is upon us. 

source: wordpress

6.5 Magnitude Quake Rattles Guatemala's Coast

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake shook Guatemala's Pacific coastline on Sunday, just four days after a major quake killed dozens and left thousands without homes in the region.
People fled buildings and homes in panic in cities along Guatemala's coast near its border with Mexico on Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of deaths or major damage. Locals were further panicked by four aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 4.5 to 5.0.
Eddy Sanchez, director of Guatemala's National Institute of Seismology, Vulcanology and Hydrology, urged residents to avoid returning to buildings and homes with structural damage from the last quake.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was 19 miles (30 kilometers) west-southwest of Champerico, Guatemala, and 185 kilometers (115 miles) southwest of Guatemala City. It had a depth of 27 kilometers (17 miles) and was centered off the country's coast.
Seismologists say it was the strongest aftershock yet from a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that killed 52 people in western Guatemala on Wednesday.
That quake, the country's strongest in 36 years, left thousands of people without homes, electricity or water; and emotionally devastated one small town by wiping out almost an entire family.
It was felt as far as Mexico City. It affected as many as 1.2 million Guatemalans and was followed by 70 aftershocks in the first 24 hours.
Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina had deployed more than 2,000 soldiers to the region to help with the disaster. The U.S. State Department said it was sending some $50,000 in immediate disaster relief, including clean water, fuel and blankets.

source: abcnews