Earthquake in japan and Vanuatu

[sweet_successes]

This is news just in on news.com.au

 

One dead in powerful quake

 

 

March 25, 2007 12:21pm

 

AT least one person was killed when Japan and Vanuatu were hit by strong earthquakes within minutes of each other this morning.

The Pacific island of Vanuatu was struck by a 7.2-magnitude quake at 10.40am (AEST), centred 35km deep and 335km southest of the capital Port Vila, according to the the US Geological Survey.

Four minutes later, a 7.1-magnitude quake struck Japan's main island of Honshu.

The quake occurred in Ishikawa prefecture, about 300km northwest of Tokyo, the meteorological agency said.

Reuters quoted public broadcaster NHK as saying at least one person was killed and 40 injured.

The quakes, which occcurred within the Pacific Ring of Fire, the edge of a tectonic plate, sparked a tsunami alert on the west coast of Honshu.

A small tsunami measuring 10cm hit shore around 11.18am, public broadcaster NHK said. A second with a similar size hit minutes later down the coast, it said.

A 52-year-old woman was killed and 40 other people were injured by the quake, NHK said.

Calls to police and prefectural officials in the region were not immediately answered.

Television footage from the quake zone showed buildings shaking violently for about 30 seconds.

Other shots showed a collapsed building and a shop with shattered windows.

"We felt violent shaking. My colleagues say the insides of their houses are a mess, with everything smashed on the floor,'' Wataru Matsumoto, deputy mayor of the town of Anamizu near the epicentre, told NHK.

Train service in Ishikawa and nearby Toyama prefecture was suspended and All Nippon Airways flights between Ishikawa and Tokyo were delayed, Kyodo News agency said.

Nuclear power plants owned by Tokyo Electric Power Co and Kansai Electric Power Co were operating normally in Niigata and Fukui prefectures, Kyodo said.

In Vanuatu, police spokesman Captain Arnold Girobut told the Associated Press there were no immediate reports of injury or damage in Port Vila but emergency services were still checking remote islands.

"We experienced a little bit of movement (in Port Vila) but not as destructive as might be expected,'' he said.

No tsunami alert was issued in Vanuatu.

- with Reuters and AFP

 

Hope everything is ok

[Druke I]

Our local 5pm news yesterday did say that there was a tsunami alert for the Pacific NW coast, US as a result of that quake.

[Tinalou]

That is so concerning.

 

Only yesterday, I was saying to DH that I would hate to be on a cruise and experience a deep sea earthquake/tsunami/anything else terrible like that. It's always on my mind when thinking about a cruise. Then I go and think about that wretched Poseidon movie...and the 'rogue wave'. :rolleyes: :( Why do I scare myself so much?

 

They were lucky that more people weren't killed or injured.

 

I didnt know about the 'Ring of Fire'. Perhaps I should go and educate myself more on tectonic plates, but I'm scared that the more I know, the more likely I am to make myself hysterical! :eek: