RAPID ROUNDUP: Earthquake and tsunami in Japan

RAPID ROUNDUP: Earthquake and tsunami in Japan – experts respond – version 1

A major earthquake has occurred in Japan with a measured magnitude of 8.9. There have been reports of fires and damage in Tokyo and a tsunami has struck the Sendai area in the north-east of the country.

For the latest seismological information from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), go to: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2011/usc0001xgp/

To monitor any tsunami warnings for the Australian region, go to: http://www.bom.gov.au/tsunami/national.shtml

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Kevin McCue is a seismologist and adjunct professor at CQUniversity. He is based in Canberra

“This is the largest earthquake known in Japan.

There have been seven earthquakes in Japan over magnitude 8 since 1891. In 1923 in the great Kanto earthquake which measured 7.9, 147,000 people died so our expectation is that many people will be killed and there will be extensive damage. Fortunately for Tokyo it’s a bit further north than the great Kanto earthquake was, which means the damage in Tokyo is likely to be much less.

A Pacific wide tsunami has been generated, so that will be impacting other countries in the north Pacific in the coming hours.”

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Professor James Goff is Co-Director of the Australian Tsunami Research Centre and Natural Hazards Research Lab at the University of NSW. (NB: James is currently in transit – on his way to NZ)

“This Japanese event was considerably larger, only 10 km deep [now revised by the USGS to 24km] and so we should expect a tsunami to have been generated by this. Not surprisingly warnings and watches are in place. It would highly unlikely for a tsunami to NOT be generated. Japan has a rigourous earthquake building code and excellent tsunami warning system and evacuation plans - this event will likely provide a severe test for all of them.”

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