Earthquake overview : A massive M7.3 earthquake struck the Honshu, Japan coast , but luckily far out in the sea. Tsunami alert for 1 prefecture and more tsunami advisories for other prefectures was issued
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Most recent information on top – Start of the article at the bottom
We do thank reader Jane (United Kingdom) for her kind donation today
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Update Dec 8, 11:03 UTC :
- Some reports are referring to 13 people injured. FDMA however keeps it on the 9 we have mentioned (official source)
- Some reports are also stating that a person on a boat is missing at Iwaki prefecture. This cannot have been a earthquake victim as there were no waves or tsunami movements which could have inflicted such an accident
- We have counted 8 aftershocks greater than M5 since the mainshock. The potential for M6+ aftershocks is very real in the short term and will remain permanently for the following months although with lesser intervals.
Update 22:51 UTC : Aftershocks keep raging almost continuously in the greater epicenter area. They have a tendency to get gradually weaker, but now and then a major 6.X is still a possibility
Update 17:21 UTC : FDMA Japan, the agency dealing with rescue and relief all over Japan is reporting that 9 people were registered with various wounds. 8 were slightly injured, 1 seriously
Update 16:42 UTC : Since the mainshock, strong to very strong aftershocks keep shaking the epicenter area in the ocean. As this is far out the coast (+200 km) and relatively shallow, only the heavier aftershocks will be felt at the coast. On our monitors we see still a lot of Japanese people online, which may indicate that they can't sleep as it is in the middle of the Japanese night.
Good to know and proud to communicate it :
Even before the first I Have Felt It report arrived at our desk, we received a mention of our just programmed EEDS (Early Earthquake Detection System). This alert arrived in our office at 08:22 UTC, barely 4 minutes after the earthquake occurred. Taking into account that the earthquake needed a number of seconds before it generated shaking at the coast and further inland, the time in between the end of the shaking and our detection is max. 1 minute. This astonishing short notice (USGS email arrived 16 minutes after the earthquake) is thanks to ou our readers.
Of course we have no earthquake data at that time, but the first IHFI (or Experience) reports are telling us a lot more within a couple of minutes more.
Next step : Calibrating and further refining of the data to enable an immediate posting of a preliminary earthquake row in the database and showing that we presumably noticed an earthquake, facilitating to capture of I Have Felt It reports even sooner.
We would appreciate a small donation (via the buttons at right) to assist ER in further calibrating and refining this tool. A rollout can be expected within short term.
Update 12:52 UTC : A lot of Japanese people living on the east Honshu coastline and a little inland will have to spend un uncomfortable night because of the aftershocks and the risk on a few major aftershocks.
A similar earthquake as today occurred last year a couple of days before the major M8.9 Tohoku earthquake which killed thousands of people because of a massive tsunami. There is NO reason whatsoever to expect the same scenario, but as earthquakes are unpredictable in timing, Magnitude and epicenter location, no guarantee can be made.
Important update 11:20 UTC : All Tsunami Warnings/Advisories have been cancelled.
Update 11:16 UTC : 5 people taken to the hospital in Miyagi prefecture with injuries following , none serious. The latest and probably final Tsunami gauges measurements below :
Update 10:13 UTC : The Tsunami Warning and Advisories are still in place in Japan. So far the JMA Gauges have measured the following level changes :
Update 10:00 UTC : A shaking video recoreded by a security camera at Fukushima
Update 09:34 UTC : We are very grateful that so many Japanese readers started to send their experience reports to Earthquake-Report.com, almost as soon as the shaking stopped. We are proud to serve the worldwide community with your help.
Update 09:34 UTC : Tsunami warning and tsunami advisories are still in place at the various prefectures. Ofunate at Iwaki prefecture has received tsunami waves of 20 cm. We maintain our expectation as a narrow escape os a damaging tsunami.
Update 09:27 UTC : The area most at risk was Miyagi prefecture. Reports from the area indicate a tsunami of 1 meter (expected scenario from JMA was 0.5 to 2 meters in that area). If this would be the maximum, thats would have been a narrow escape of damage.
We are however not sure at all about this as tsunamis are really different from area to area, even in the same prefecture.
Update 09:05 UTC : Tokyo Electric says there is no problem with cooling system at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after Japan quake.
Update 09:03 UTC : Japanese 5 lower scale generally correlates to a Intensity VII in the MMI scale used worldwide. This could cause significant damage inland. The pattern of intensity seems to be very similar to that of the 2011 Tohoku quake however around 2.5 MMI points, and 1.4 JMA points lower.
Update 08:58 UTC : The tsunami (if triggered) will not coincide with high tide (with this occurring at 9:30pm Japanese time) and the tsunami due to hit around 6.30pm. This should only be a localised tsunami. With already damaged buildings from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, the shaking may collapse some buildings.
Update 08:53 UTC : The mainshock is being followed by multiple strong aftershocks which go above M6 (which is already considered as a major earthquake)
Important update 08:44 UTC : The max. shaking intensity as reported by Japan Seismological Institute should be 5-, which is just below the value we are seeing as very dangerous for damage and injuries.
Please subscribe to one of our twitter accounts below @Quake_Tracker4 will suit most of you. Direct link to these pages, very fast and also (unique) Exps from people who felt the earthquake.
Update 08:41 UTC : we will soon start an in-depth article on what is happening but this information is the essential at this point.
Update 08:235 UTC : Based on the data what we see at the moment, the epicenter is reported as far out of the coast which eliminates a lot of danger for shaking devastation.
Tsunami danger remains as indicated below and untill green alert is given again.
People on Honshu are reporting us a very strong shaking, which does not necessary has to lead to a lot of damage.
Based on our experience, a large Tohoku style tsunami should not be expected, but is is wise to look for higher grounds as people in Japan do know very well.
Update : Magnitude as measured by JMA Japan is M7.3
A Tsunami warning is in place for Miyagi prefecture
We have received an alert of a strong hike in visitors from Japan .
At this moment we have no data yet as the Japanese seismological service cannot be reached, which is normally due to massive readership
Based on an increasing number of visitors joining us from Japan, we believe that an earthquake was felt. When you are one of the people who experienced this earthquake, please fill in the form behind “I Felt A (not Listed) Earthquake”. Thank you.
Image courtesy JMA Japan
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 7.3 (JMA Japan)
UTC Time : 2012-12-07 08:18:24 UTC
Local time at epicenter : 2012-12-07 18:18:24 UTC+10:00 at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 10 km (JMA Japan)
Geo-location(s) :
245km (152mi) SE of Kamaishi, Japan
245km (152mi) ESE of Ofunato, Japan
251km (156mi) ESE of Ishinomaki, Japan
251km (156mi) SE of Otsuchi, Japan
462km (287mi) ENE of Tokyo, Japan
Links to important maps
JMA Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map showing the epicenter and the surrounding area
Historic earthquakes map
Shaking map
Scientific parameters
Human impact map
JMA tsunami report
Our @Quake_Tracker4 account has been suspended by Twitter - WHY ? Please ask Twitter to reopen it again as we cannot communicate via this account who has the most followers. We are not spammers but a LEGITIMATE earthquake informing website as you all know.
Update 1 : Also our account @Quake_Tracker was Suspended by Twitter. It has now being reopened after our Oath that we will not do anything wrong again. What ? It is not our fault that a major earthquake has occurred in Japan.
The @Quake_Tracker4 remains suspended and we are requesting your help in sending twitter a notice in support of us. Thank you
Update 16:51 UTC : No reaction yet on our urgent email to twitter. In another request to de-block our @Quake_Tracker4 account we got the message that they will try their best to answer us within a few days, but it can take a few days more they say. Let's hope that in the meantime, nothing serious happens in San Francisco (offices of Twitter)
Suspension solved : We thank the Twitter support team to reinstate our @Quake_Tracker4 account. This is what we received as an explanation : Twitter has automated systems that find and remove multiple automated spam accounts in bulk. Unfortunately, it looks like your account got caught up in one of these spam groups by mistake. I've restored your account; sorry for the inconvenience.
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SRC | Location | UTC Date/time | M | D | INFO | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 23:00 | 5.6 | 34 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 22:59 | 5.6 | 2 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 22:59 | 5.4 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:36 | 4.8 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:36 | 4.8 | 27 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:36 | 4.8 | 20 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:20 | 4.7 | 40 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:20 | 4.7 | 41 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:01 | 5.0 | 2 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:01 | 4.9 | 21 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 21:01 | 5.0 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 20:30 | 4.9 | 2 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 20:30 | 4.9 | 25 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 20:30 | 4.8 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Near East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 19:25 | 5.1 | 40 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Near The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 19:25 | 4.9 | 38 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Near East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 19:24 | 5.0 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:18 | 5.0 | 32 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:18 | 5.0 | 2 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:18 | 4.9 | 36 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:11 | 4.8 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:11 | 4.7 | 34 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:11 | 4.8 | 30 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:01 | 5.1 | 30 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:01 | 5.1 | 2 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 16:01 | 5.2 | 36 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 15:15 | 5.0 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 15:15 | 5.0 | 58 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 15:15 | 5.1 | 10 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 14:32 | 4.6 | 30 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 14:32 | 4.7 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 14:32 | 4.5 | 23 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:58 | 5.0 | 34 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:58 | 5.0 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:58 | 5.1 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:48 | 4.8 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:48 | 4.8 | 39 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:48 | 5.0 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:47 | 4.6 | 26 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Near East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:34 | 4.7 | 42 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:33 | 4.7 | 40 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:33 | 4.7 | 34 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:05 | 5.0 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:05 | 5.0 | 43 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 12:05 | 4.9 | 34 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:56 | 4.6 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:56 | 4.6 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:23 | 4.8 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:23 | 5.1 | 28 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:23 | 4.9 | 23 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:13 | 4.8 | 38 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:13 | 4.7 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:13 | 5.0 | 29 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:01 | 4.7 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 09:01 | 4.7 | 35 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:48 | 5.5 | 34 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:48 | 5.5 | 30 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:48 | 5.4 | 22 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:31 | 6.2 | 29 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:31 | 6.2 | 30 | MAP I Felt It | |
GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:31 | 6.1 | 26 | MAP I Felt It | |
PTWC | Off The East Coast Of Honshu Japan | Dec 07 08:25 | 7.3 | 33 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:18 | 7.3 | 36 | MAP I Felt It | |
EMSC | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:18 | 7.3 | 30 | MAP I Felt It | |
USGS | Off The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:18 | 7.3 | 33 | MAP I Felt It | |
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GEOFON | Off East Coast Of Honshu, Japan | Dec 07 08:18 | 7.3 | 33 | MAP I Felt It |
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