2011 Sendai Earthquake & Tsunami

[vbhoutex]

Thanks for checking in with us and keeping us as informed as much as you are allowed to. I know you and the family hate being separated, but like you I think it will be a good break from the stress for them. That would be awesome if you and James could collaborate. Please stay safe and once again, thank you for all you are doing.

[Chacor]

The operator of a stricken Japanese nuclear plant has been berated by officials for a lack of transparency and failures to protect workers.

The government said Tokyo Electric Power Co had to provide information more promptly.

The nation's nuclear agency said the operator of the Fukushima plant had made a number of mistakes, including worker clothing.

The plant was damaged in the deadly 11 March earthquake and tsunami.

The death toll has now passed 10,000, and more than 17,440 people are missing.

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has now sent extra teams to the Japanese nuclear plant.

IAEA director Yukiya Amano told the New York Times that the nuclear emergency could last weeks, if not months.

Story continues here...

[HurricaneBill]

I'd agree with MGC that this is simply not comparable to the 2004 tsunami, simply because of the scale of the devastation in 2004. This one hit one very prepared nation. 2004's hit a number of not so well off ones.

The one small comfort from the 2004 tsunami was that the more powerful waves didn't hit Bangladesh.

[RobWESTPACWX]

Death toll about 11K now, FYI for everyone that has started to move on back stateside. Here in Japan and all of Asia this is still a very real and live issue. There are still rolling black outs and now NHK is saying it could last a year.

Now the big concern is the Water Plume. There is an abundant of radiological material being pushed in to the sea now. Another mass effect of this already horrible disaster.

[brunota2003]

I was hearing about the black outs could last a year and the sea water...apparently they are trying something out to stop it? I don't remember what it was. Also heard two of the plant workers were found dead.

[vbhoutex]

I was hearing about the black outs could last a year and the sea water...apparently they are trying something out to stop it? I don't remember what it was. Also heard two of the plant workers were found dead.

Yes they were trying out a polymer solution and iirc what I heard/read it did not work either, but don't go to the bank with that. I have also heard the blackouts will last at least a year. And yes they found 2 workers dead, but I don't believe it was from radiation exposure but from the tsunami. I still am aghast at the absolute destruction. As much as we have already seen it still just seems impossible to believe the destruction and how it happened. I pray to God for all those affected and I pray we never see anything approaching that here on our shores because we are so not anywhere near as ready as Japan was for a major earthquake with an associated tsumami.

[RobWESTPACWX]

STATUS UPDATE:

Almost been a month now and looks like I am getting word to begin to stand down here in the relief efforts. Mainly because the Japanese have asked us to do so. That is start to stand down, but not completely, there are still many people out there right now from state side assisting in the efforts to help get Japan back on there feet. On that note as for me I may be coming out with some videos here in a week or so as I will be going home! Hurrah! Yes, I am quite excited, unfortunately family will not be there as I had them go to Florida, and as of right now with the unstable situation persisting in Fukushima I feel most comfortable with them stateside.

On the last comment here though yes rolling black outs are expected across northern Honshu from the Kanto Plain N through the rest of the year, this is to conserve power on the currently strained system.

There have been many questions as well about the water plume, yes Fukushima did release a fair amount of radioactive water in the ocean. This is small compared to the ocean and the goal is it will mix in and disperse, the reason they did this though is because Reactor six had ground water seeping in the basement and filling up. It was either release that water, or suffer another meltdown in that reactor due to an electric short.

Lastly I want to mention I applied for the AMS. Application is in and I feel I have a fair chance of being accepted due to my efforts in operation meteorology and my large amount of on the job experience, (not to mention the college credits already attained) So hopefully soon here you can upgrade me to Pro MET! Hurrah.

Thanks again all for the support here...

[HurricaneBill]

Hopefully, Japan isn't struck by any major typhoons this year.

[vbhoutex]

Hopefully, Japan isn't struck by any major typhoons this year.

Man oh man I hadn't even thought of that. That would be horrendous!!

[HurricaneBill]

Hopefully, Japan isn't struck by any major typhoons this year.

Man oh man I hadn't even thought of that. That would be horrendous!!

Especially if it was a repeat of 2004.

[Macrocane]

7NEW 7.4 ERATHQUAKE IN JAPAN

I'm not sure if it can be considered an aftershock but it's impressive anyway

Magnitude 7.4
Date-Time
* Thursday, April 07, 2011 at 14:32:41 UTC
* Thursday, April 07, 2011 at 11:32:41 PM at epicenter
Location 38.253°N, 141.640°E
Depth 25.6 km (15.9 miles)
Region NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
* 66 km (41 miles) E (90°) from Sendai, Honshu, Japan
* 118 km (73 miles) ENE (60°) from Fukushima, Honshu, Japan
* 147 km (91 miles) NNE (26°) from Iwaki, Honshu, Japan
* 333 km (207 miles) NNE (30°) from TOKYO, Japan
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 13.1 km (8.1 miles); depth +/- 7.2 km (4.5 miles)
Parameters NST=426, Nph=427, Dmin=358.4 km, Rmss=0.75 sec, Gp= 32°,
M-type=regional moment magnitude (Mw), Version=B
Source
* U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center:
World Data Center for Seismology, Denver
Event ID usc0002ksa

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0002ksa.php

[angelwing]

USGS had it at 2 earthquakes originally:

MAG DATE TIME (UTC) LAT (deg) LON (deg) DEPTH (km)
7.4 2011/04/07 14:32:41 38.253 141.640 25.6
7.4 2011/04/07 14:32:00 38.200 142.000 40.0

Now its one?

[RobWESTPACWX]

It was always one Angel wing, if you notice those two reports are 40 seconds apart and they are the same magnitude. Likely the computer calculating two different rupture areas along the same fault zone. But overall the same earthquake.

Any how, yes had my life almost flipped over again ~3 hours ago when this went down. First a 7.4 earth quake 50 miles E of Sendia, one of the largest hit area from the 11th quake. Tsunami Warnings were issued for the Miyagi Prefecture with ADV all along the NE portion of Honshu.

About an hour later all warnings by JMA were dropped as there were no confirmed reports of any sea level rise. There were a few reports of some change by open source but obviously nothing that would cause any damage.

I think the major concern with this one was any loose soil knocked around by the 11th quake could have caused a under water land slide thus producing a tsunami, Good news is this did not happen.

On another note though watching NHK here, numerous reports of electric out all along NE Honshu in the already fragile area up there. NAS Misawa electric is out from what I see. Many other areas are down as well. Plus numerous injuries but nothing severe and no reports of any deaths. I think that is a good news day when it comes to a earthquake roughly the same magnitude of the one that struck Haiti.

Stay safe out there everyone, lets hope the world stops shaking...

*** Do want to mention ~1 hour prior to this quake a 6.5 struck in Mexico as well.***

[Chacor]

Looks like three deaths confirmed from the 7.1 (downgraded) aftershock.

[HurricaneBill]

I think one of the freakiest things about an earthquake is liquifaction.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x_kS3Bm6fA[/youtube]

[brunota2003]

Liquification, or where pipes burst due to the stresses of ground movement?

[RobWESTPACWX]

Our good friend Typhoon Hunter posted this about a week ago. I would highly suggest checking out his channel. He has some pretty incredible footage there.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XzY-2oWtKk&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

[Chacor]

Another major 7.1 (preliminary estimate) aftershock centred offsea (onshore) less than 60 mi SSE of Fukushima hit about 25 mins ago. Tsunami warnings and advisories are up.

[RobWESTPACWX]

I'm not even home a few hours and the earth is already shaking! Video Below

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN348mv1Fx8[/youtube]

[Chacor]

Tepco say the latest quake has cut is external power supply to two reactors at Fukushima Daiichi.