Another earthquake in Japan

[Adil]

A series of earthquakes rattled Tokyo and northeast Japan late Wednesday evening, but caused no apparent damage or injury in the same region hit by last year's devastating tsunami.
The first tremor off Hokkaido island was 6.8 magnitude and prompted some communities to issue evacuation orders or advisories to residents nearest the coast.


Read more: Strong Quakes Shake Japan, But No Apparent Damage - TIME

 

[Ghetsis-Dennis]

Very sad that a year later after that incident, Japan gets yet another earthquake. >_>

At least it brought brought no damage.

 

[Proxima Centauri B]

Wow, Japan keeps getting quakes D: At least there was no Tsunami danger or significant damage this time.

 

[Nicoleta01]

Wow, Japan keeps getting quakes D: At least there was no Tsunami danger or significant damage this time.

Japan is on the Ring of Fire, so they get many quakes almost everyday (most too minor to be felt on the ground). But as you said, thankfully, this didn't do any damage.

 

[Kelleo]

Yeah, Japan gets more earthquakes than like, anyone else. And besides that, the most powerful ones recorded actually occurred elsewhere (Chile and Indonesia), so the Japanese really ought to consider themselves lucky right now.

This is no surprise to me. Still, good that there was no damage this time.

 

[Robo-Floatzel]

Why is this stuff ALWAYS happening to Japan, why not China?

 

[Meyneth]

I'm just happy theses weren't deadly.

 

[Fig]

Why is this stuff ALWAYS happening to Japan, why not China?

1)Why would it happen to China?
2)Why would it be better if it happened to China?

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Anyway, this is less than 1% the strength of the big quake last year - every extra number (magnitude 5, 6, 7, 8, etc) means 10x the strength. So the difference between 6.8 and 9 is huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge.

 

[Robo-Floatzel]

Also, on the subject of earthquakes, I found that some scientists have seen that major earthquakes come in a pattern of 188 days or so, or a close number, like these examples:

On February 28th, 2010, an 8.8 quake hits Chile, 188 days later on September 3rd 2010, a 7.0 quake hits New Zealand, 189 days later on March 11th, 2011, the aformentioned 9.0 quake hits Japan, 188 days later on September 15th, a 7.3 quake hits the Fiji Islands, and the next one will possibly be on March 22nd, possibly in California

Some of those weird apocalypse theorists think that this cycle is related to a large mass object that is approaching Earths orbit (such as an asteroid), or to the Mayan Calendar and the alleged doomsday that is to happen in December, but I don't believe in that 2012 Mayan Calendar stuff at all, so I think this cycle is just a coincidence, never mind that earthquakes happen all the time...

 

[Ghetsis-Dennis]

Also, on the subject of earthquakes, I found that some scientists have seen that major earthquakes come in a pattern of 188 days or so, or a close number, like these examples:

On February 28th, 2010, an 8.8 quake hits Chile, 188 days later on September 3rd 2010, a 7.0 quake hits New Zealand, 189 days later on March 11th, 2011, the aformentioned 9.0 quake hits Japan, 188 days later on September 15th, a 7.3 quake hits the Fiji Islands, and the next one will possibly be on March 22nd, possibly in California

Now you've got me worried. That earthquake will wreck the figures I have on the top shelves of my room for sure after the last earthquake we had in 2009.

 

[Sith Droideka]

Well, good thing nothing too bad happened.

 

[Agent Gryphon]

Also, on the subject of earthquakes, I found that some scientists have seen that major earthquakes come in a pattern of 188 days or so, or a close number, like these examples:

On February 28th, 2010, an 8.8 quake hits Chile, 188 days later on September 3rd 2010, a 7.0 quake hits New Zealand, 189 days later on March 11th, 2011, the aformentioned 9.0 quake hits Japan, 188 days later on September 15th, a 7.3 quake hits the Fiji Islands, and the next one will possibly be on March 22nd, possibly in California

Some of those weird apocalypse theorists think that this cycle is related to a large mass object that is approaching Earths orbit (such as an asteroid), or to the Mayan Calendar and the alleged doomsday that is to happen in December, but I don't believe in that 2012 Mayan Calendar stuff at all, so I think this cycle is just a coincidence, never mind that earthquakes happen all the time...

This might sound stupid but in every TV shows set in LA or California there are always characters that mentioned that the place was overdue for a big Earthquake, just makes me wonder if that is an actual truth? If so and if Cali's the next one maybe that is the big Earthquake? I think I have heard it mentioned in real life as well.

But anyways I am surprised it happened again in Japan, I hope there's not anymore after this.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Phew, at least it's a smallish one. That's a relief.

 

[Caitlin]

This might sound stupid but in every TV shows set in LA or California there are always characters that mentioned that the place was overdue for a big Earthquake, just makes me wonder if that is an actual truth? If so and if Cali's the next one maybe that is the big Earthquake? I think I have heard it mentioned in real life as well.

But anyways I am surprised it happened again in Japan, I hope there's not anymore after this.

Everybody seems to say that about everywhere, even geologically stable areas such as mine. My dad has been "absolutely certain" for the past 10 years that upstate New York is due for an 8.0+ earthquake because the area hasn't had one in over 150 years, even going as far buying into earthquake insurance. For some areas, it is true however. Extended periods of calm and quiet in geological hot zones typically mean that things are bubbling up, pressure is building and eventually it's going to be released with devastating force.

Having a quick look at California's earthquake history has the amateur geologist in me confident that a major, destructive end-of-the-world one isn't coming soon.

 

[Dorothy LaRouge]

Given that Japan's a country very prone to earthquakes, I'm not surprised. Last year's quake was very much an anomaly, and I don't see anything of its magnitude happening again in Japan for a very long time.

 

[Eredar Warlock]

Not so much an anomaly.

Japan lies along two subduction zones. Both subduction zones meet south of Tokyo and are the consequence of two different plates. One plate pushes against a portion of the North American plate which is the Siberia area (The Pacific Plate) and another against the Eurasian Plate (the Philippine plate). In both cases, it is Oceanic crust pushing against Continental Crust. This is extremely unstable, and is what produces Japan's numerous stratovolcanoes, one of which is a supervolcano (no, it's not Fuji). But subduction zones in general produce radically violent earthquakes called megathrusts. Megathrust quakes are the only type of quake known to produce temblors of 9.0 or greater. The two subduction zones near Japan are what cause Japan to have earthquakes with alarming frequency.

California has a strike-slip fault. These are capable of huge quakes of their own. There was a 7.2 magnitude quake last year in the Baja California area. But they aren't capable of a megathrust sized quake. The Cascades area, however, is another subduction zone. So is Alaska. Alaska has had some famously huge quakes of its own.

 

[Joshawott]

Also, on the subject of earthquakes, I found that some scientists have seen that major earthquakes come in a pattern of 188 days or so, or a close number, like these examples:

On February 28th, 2010, an 8.8 quake hits Chile, 188 days later on September 3rd 2010, a 7.0 quake hits New Zealand, 189 days later on March 11th, 2011, the aformentioned 9.0 quake hits Japan, 188 days later on September 15th, a 7.3 quake hits the Fiji Islands, and the next one will possibly be on March 22nd, possibly in California

Some of those weird apocalypse theorists think that this cycle is related to a large mass object that is approaching Earths orbit (such as an asteroid), or to the Mayan Calendar and the alleged doomsday that is to happen in December, but I don't believe in that 2012 Mayan Calendar stuff at all, so I think this cycle is just a coincidence, never mind that earthquakes happen all the time...

Especially as the Mayan calender was made before the declaration of the leap year, so if we went by the Mayan's calender without the new extra days from a leap year, we'd be in 2013? =3

This is why I feel fortunate to live in England; we don't have to deal with stuff like earthquakes very often.

 

[Vhazhiphor]

Especially as the Mayan calender was made before the declaration of the leap year, so if we went by the Mayan's calender without the new extra days from a leap year, we'd be in 2013? =3

I haven't looked into it, but just from reading that, the first thing that comes to my head is, wouldn't the people that calculated the date have taken that into account?

 

[Dorothy LaRouge]

Not so much an anomaly.

Japan lies along two subduction zones. Both subduction zones meet south of Tokyo and are the consequence of two different plates. One plate pushes against a portion of the North American plate which is the Siberia area (The Pacific Plate) and another against the Eurasian Plate (the Philippine plate). In both cases, it is Oceanic crust pushing against Continental Crust. This is extremely unstable, and is what produces Japan's numerous stratovolcanoes, one of which is a supervolcano (no, it's not Fuji). But subduction zones in general produce radically violent earthquakes called megathrusts. Megathrust quakes are the only type of quake known to produce temblors of 9.0 or greater. The two subduction zones near Japan are what cause Japan to have earthquakes with alarming frequency.

California has a strike-slip fault. These are capable of huge quakes of their own. There was a 7.2 magnitude quake last year in the Baja California area. But they aren't capable of a megathrust sized quake. The Cascades area, however, is another subduction zone. So is Alaska. Alaska has had some famously huge quakes of its own.

It was an anomaly insofar as earthquakes of that intensity are extremely rare.