9.0 Earthquake just hit Japan.

[mrDooba]

Just got home from work and flicked on the news and there is live footage of tsunamis and the after effects of the Earthquake.

[falke]

OMG. Not another disaster please.

[mrDooba]

The biggest fire I've ever seen in an oil refinery!!! Holy crap!!!!!:(

[Analog6]

It has been 'upgraded' to 8.9! And that was a huge tsunami. The news will not be good I fear.

[mrDooba]

OMG 8.9!!
There is water all over the streets and I'm literally watching cars get pushed inland!!

[ricktas]

Buildings in Tokyo are on fire and were still swaying 30 minutes after the earthquake. My cousin's town, Iwaki in ###ushima Prefecture, has been hit by a 6 metre tsunami. She is luckily in Australia visiting at present, but quite concerned for her friends there.

[mrDooba]

Just saw live ariel view of cars driving along the road and getting washed off the road by tsunami:(

[BUGSnBIRDS]

2011 is quickly turning into the year of natural disasters for developed countries.
8.9 is holy heck of a rumble triggering the tsunami. The pacific is on alert so play, and stay safe this long weekend.
Japan is well prepped for quakes but Tsunamis are difficult to prepare for :(. Some of the pics are scary indeed.

[Michaela]

Terrible news. :( I work for a hay exporter and most of our customers are in Japan plus two of our staff are Japanese. Their families are in Tokyo and are OK, thank goodness, but we ship quite a bit to Sendai and surrounding areas which have been devastated. My heart goes out to all those who have been affected.

[farmer_rob]

It looks really bad. BBC news coverage showing widespread devastation, with some NHK footage of debris meters high in towns. Sendai airport underwater (apparently 2 miles from Nikon's Sendai plant.)

My sympathies and best wishes to all affected - I hope it isn't as bad as it looks, but I doubt it.

[kiwi]

Nuclear power plant now at risk of overheating...

Looks devastating where the tsunami went through

[dbax]

not looking good at all, wishing all well, I think we have a couple of members in Japan............

[arthurking83]

Absolutely amazing images.

what a dreadful event. I hope that the casualties aren't as bad as they were in Kobe, considering the poulation density in the Tokyo area.

[kiwi]

I think they are expecting about 1000 deaths, when you consider the scale of this and the density of population japans preparedness for this sort of thing, including building codes, tsunami warning systems must be admired

By the way, the 15cm high tidal wave just hit nz

[Analog6]

Sadly, from the NZPress site: 16.00pm: Japanese media reports say death toll from quake and tsunami is at least 1,300.

An energy map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows the intensity of the tsunami in the Pacific Ocean caused by the magnitude 8.9 earthquake. It is a frightening amount of power unleashed.

69250

[Phil777]

Apparently this was the 7th biggest ever recorded quake in history at 8.9mw.

Only 18 days ago we had the damaging Christchurch 6.3 quake and now this at the other end of the Pacific.

[Bromeo]

2011 is quickly turning into the year of natural disasters for developed countries.


tbh im seeing a lot more people up in arms about this compared to the floods in pakistan


man those poor developed nations

[ricktas]

tbh im seeing a lot more people up in arms about this compared to the floods in pakistan


man those poor developed nations

Really? Between 2000 and 2010 the U.S gave $20.7 Billion (USD) Aid to Pakistan, $3Bill of that was in 2010. The UK has given 665Mill pounds. Have a look at this (http://ausaid.gov.au/country/cbrief.cfm?DCon=6976_3391_7100_736_9776&CountryID=11&Region=SouthAsia) for Australia's aid to Pakistan. Australia has given $35Mill in Aid directly related to the floods. Or this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8003557.stm) announcement after the floods. With all due respect your post does nothing but incite and enflame. Next time add some factual information to your claims! The world has given a lot to Pakistan!

[PH005]

Really? Between 2000 and 2010 the U.S gave $20.7 Billion (USD) Aid to Pakistan, $3Bill of that was in 2010. The UK has given 665Mill pounds. Have a look at this (http://ausaid.gov.au/country/cbrief.cfm?DCon=6976_3391_7100_736_9776&CountryID=11&Region=SouthAsia) for Australia's aid to Pakistan. Australia has given $35Mill in Aid directly related to the floods. Or this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8003557.stm) announcement after the floods. With all due respect your post does nothing but incite and enflame. Next time add some factual information to your claims! The world has given a lot to Pakistan!

With all due respect Rick. Maybe what Bromeo is trying to imply is that we did not see the media coverage on the same scale in Pakistan as what we are seeing in Japan. I dont see any mention of monetary aid in His/Her post.

Paul.

[ricktas]

With all due respect Rick. Maybe what Bromeo is trying to imply is that we did not see the media coverage on the same scale in Pakistan as what we are seeing in Japan. I dont see any mention of monetary aid in His/Her post.

Paul.

Which would be because Pakistan does not have the TV networks, internet connections etc that Japan has, rather than anyone making a decision to specifically not report it. After all the media have to have access to the content to broadcast it, in the first place.

[PH005]

Which would be because Pakistan does not have the TV networks, internet connections etc that Japan has, rather than anyone making a decision to specifically not report it. After all the media have to have access to the content to broadcast it, in the first place.

Point taken, but not absolutely convinced that lack of technical services were to blame. I have seen live news coverage aired from a mobile phone. My point is that in my opinion I think that people decide what is GOOD news, and what do people want to see. Is the average Aussie Joe worried what is happening in Pakistan ? Maybe on the Cricket pitch ! Do we care about what is happening in Japan ? Of course we do. We drive Toyotas, ride Hondas , use Nikon and Canon cameras, and Japaness tourists come here in their thousands. It's always the same. Supply and Demand.

[William]

Very sad to see what has happened , And still happening in Japan, I've been checking out some of the "Nostrodamus Prophecies" Regarding 2011 and 2012 :eek:, I have already made evacuation plans in case of a Tsunami :( If there is a Quake in Peru or Chile, Which is on the cards !! I live very close to the Ocean and there is no real high ground around at all , Well at least we should have plenty of warning , Sad to have to think that way but you never know these days , Have a nice day - Bill

[PH005]

Very sad to see what has happened , And still happening in Japan, I've been checking out some of the "Nostrodamus Prophecies" Regarding 2011 and 2012 :eek:, I have already made evacuation plans in case of a Tsunami :( If there is a Quake in Peru or Chile, Which is on the cards !! I live very close to the Ocean and there is no real high ground around at all , Well at least we should have plenty of warning , Sad to have to think that way but you never know these days , Have a nice day - Bill

Glad to hear that you are not one of these fools that will go down to the foreshore to get a picture of a Tidal wave. Watch out for the Full Moon this Sunday William, Rick told us it will be the closest it has been to the Earth for some years. Who knows what effect it will have ? :confused013

[William]

Glad to hear that you are not one of these fools that will go down to the foreshore to get a picture of a Tidal wave. Watch out for the Full Moon this Sunday William, Rick told us it will be the closest it has been to the Earth for some years. Who knows what effect it will have ? :confused013


I know the power of the waves !! BTW That full moon does get a mention in the Scheme of things Re: Quakes, Sunday Hey !! Anyway what Tsunami Warning System do we have , If you go to bed and miss the news , Your gone I guess :( I have at least 2kms to high ground

[PH005]

I know the power of the waves !! BTW That full moon does get a mention in the Scheme of things Re: Quakes, Sunday Hey !! Anyway what Tsunami Warning System do we have , If you go to bed and miss the news , Your gone I guess :( I have at least 2kms to high ground

I just hope that Straddie will protect our little Island.

ps. You might have to re-borrow that 120-400 for Sunday night. :D

[William]

My only tip, Would be to have the Kids Boogie Boards ready at the door :D

[Bromeo]

Tbh Rick popular attention to an issue is not defined by how much aid a government gives.

[Bromeo]

My only tip, Would be to have the Kids Boogie Boards ready at the door :D

Hurr Hurr this is a totally appropriate comment.

[Bear Dale]

The photos in this link goes someway of showing the magnatude of the disaster -

http://shineyourlight-shineyourlight.blogspot.com/2011/03/3.html

[dbax]

The photos in this link goes someway of showing the magnatude of the disaster -

http://shineyourlight-shineyourlight.blogspot.com/2011/03/3.html


And Here http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm move your mouse over the images to see before and after

[Patagonia]

Its supposed to be at least 4 or 5 times stronger than the Earthquake we had last year in Chile, is hard to image how strong is that and I just hope all the people that in the not-found list appear alive soon.

Tsunami reached our coast around 20 hours later and although in general it was mild, the biggest waves hit the same towns that were severely damaged in last year tsunami destroying the little reconstruction up to date, its been very hard for those people also...

Up Japan!!!
regards

[Patagonia]

Very sad to see what has happened , And still happening in Japan, I've been checking out some of the "Nostrodamus Prophecies" Regarding 2011 and 2012 :eek:, I have already made evacuation plans in case of a Tsunami :( If there is a Quake in Peru or Chile, Which is on the cards !! I live very close to the Ocean and there is no real high ground around at all , Well at least we should have plenty of warning , Sad to have to think that way but you never know these days , Have a nice day - Bill

Don´t worry, the direct line carrying most of the energy runs directly between Chile and Japan, in 1960 Earthquake in Valdivia (south of Chile) 150 people were kiiled by the Tsunami in Japan...and believe you have Kiwi in the first line defending you hehehe.

What impressed me is that there was an alarm around 1 minute before the earthquake that was delivered to all TV´s and Cell phones (think through the digital TV signal) this allowed many people to prepare and scape. The alarm is triggered by the first waves that are not felt by people and give out that a huge event is coming.

[Bennymiata]

As the Japanese earthquake occured on the same geological plate that the New Zealand one did, does this mean that the Pacific plate is on the move?

There was also another earthquake in China just the day before the Japanese one, and another in Hawaii just after.

Japan moved 2.5M and it even shifted the axis of the earth.

I worry about the axis shift, as it is the axis that determines the seasons here on Earth, and if this has changed, it could mean some serious weather changes for us all.

If this plate is on the move, we cna expect more volcanic activity in Hawaii, and even San Francisco and Los Angeles may also be in for a shock.

Maybe Nostradamus was right, that the end of the world will happen in December 2012! :D

[kiwi]

My understanding is that Chch and Japan quakes are not linked at all actually.

Japan's quake was actually 8000 times stronger than Chch, makes the mind boggle

All the nonsense about Nosradamus and 2012 are best left with hollywood I think

[William]

I dont know Darren, Nostradamus made these predictions long before Hollywood !! Also there is Edgar Cayce who has predicted the same pretty well , Anyway I dont care what they are saying really, It's just that there is Volcanic activity around the Pacific Rim , And I have an Evactuation Plan to bolt if it happens , May as well , Remember the old Boy Scout Motto, "Be Prepared" :D

[kiwi]

I predict that sometime next year, or maybe 2013, there will be a flood and a landslide, probably in South America or Asia, and 1000's will die

see, not that hard :confused013


I dunno, call me a skeptic.

[William]

:th3: Fair enough call , But I can hear the waves on the Beach at night from my bed , Thats to close after what I've seen in Japan :( On how big and how far a Tsunami can travel very quickly , All I'm saying is that we did have a talk about which way we would head if the event did happen , No use trying to think about it at the time :)

[Analog6]

You can bolt up to our place William, we are on the 100m elevation! We'll fit you in.

The quake is now officially a magnitude 9, something like 800x stronger than the one that hit Christchurch (scale is logarithmic, not linear, I think that is the right x figure). That image of the ferry on the 2 story house does it for me, the ferry still has a table and chairs upright on the rear deck! And they are isolating people who have been exposed to radiation, and there is now strong radiation leaking from the #4 plant, with warning to stay inside and hang the laundry inside.

Our poor planet! Maybe she is protesting what we do to her.

[kiwi]

8000 x stronger actually Odille

[William]

You can bolt up to our place William, we are on the 100m elevation! We'll fit you in.



Thanks Odille, 100mtrs up should do it , Hope we dont have to take you up on the offer , Mind you , You wont get much notice , I'll bring the drinks :D

[Bromeo]

I dont know Darren, Nostradamus made these predictions long before Hollywood !! Also there is Edgar Cayce who has predicted the same pretty well , Anyway I dont care what they are saying really, It's just that there is Volcanic activity around the Pacific Rim , And I have an Evactuation Plan to bolt if it happens , May as well , Remember the old Boy Scout Motto, "Be Prepared" :D

broken clock is right twice a day etc.

[Bear Dale]

It would have have thrown a spanner in the works if Canon and Nikon had been wiped off the map......we would all have had to turn to Pentax :eek:

[Analog6]

Thanks Odille, 100mtrs up should do it , Hope we dont have to take you up on the offer , Mind you , You wont get much notice , I'll bring the drinks :D

Just roll up and take us as we are!

[Analog6]

8000 x stronger actually Odille

There you go, I was worried it was 80 and I'd got it wrong - well I had but not the way I thought. Awesome ( in the true sense of the word) power.

[William]

Just watching Channel 24 ABC , Reporting Magnitude 4 Quake in North Queensland :eek: Well on the little bar that runs across the Bottom of the screen , Have'nt heard much else tho

[kiwi]

Oh nooooooo

The end of the world is nigh (May 21st actually)

[Art Vandelay]

As the Japanese earthquake occured on the same geological plate that the New Zealand one did, does this mean that the Pacific plate is on the move?



Definately something unsettled with these continental plates at the moment. A small tremor was recorded off the Nth Qld coast this afternoon.

[William]

Oh nooooooo

The end of the world is nigh (May 21st actually)

Thats my brothers Birthday , we're getting on the Piss !! :D

[kiwi]

I'd do it early :)

http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21

[Bromeo]

They were in Sydney yesterday and I had a good old laugh at their ignorant expense.

[ApolloLXII]

All this doomsday crap is like a piece of elastic. You can stretch it to fit almost anything. I clicked on Kiwi's link and immediately began rolling my eyes which pretty much tells you what I thought of that. Nature can exact a terrible toll on every living thing on this planet from time to time as we have seen over the past few months. Life on this planet must conform to the ecosystem that allows all living things to exist on planet Earth and humans tend to forget they are not the masters of their environment as we have been led to believe. This catastrophe in Japan has both a natural (earthquake) and man-made element (possible nuclear reactor meltdown) to it and you can't convince me that there is some alleged deity somewhere thinking to itself "Let's see how the little buggers handle this one" or that it's all part of some demented 'master plan'.

My sympathies go out to all those affected by the events in Japan, not only their people but the families of Australians who are missing and, as yet, unaccounted for.

[Boo53]

8000 x stronger actually Odille

I do remember hearing in the early stages figures of 200x stronger, then it jumped to 1000x , then a figure of 8000x appeared and I thought some journalist has misheard, but it seems to have stuck.

Just simply doing the arithmetic to compare a 7.3 & 8.9 Richter scale event the difference is approx 250x.

Still bloody frightening and 89000 times more powerful than the Newcastle quake

[Bromeo]

All this religious crap is like a piece of elastic. You can stretch it to fit almost anything.

omigosh how did i do that?

[Boo53]

Just simply doing the arithmetic to compare a 7.3 & 8.9 Richter scale event the difference is approx 250x.

Still bloody frightening and 89000 times more powerful than the Newcastle quake

oops CHCH 2nd quake was 6.3. This is 7900x less than Japan - apologies, mustn't do arithmetic late at night without a decent calculator:o

[farmer_rob]

Christchurch was 6.3 (not 7.3).

Quoting and paraphrasing that illustrious source wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richter_magnitude_scale), the measurement scales (Richter and Moment Magnitude scales) are a logarithmic scale measuring the horizontal amplitude on a seismometer. However,

The energy release of an earthquake, which closely correlates to its destructive power, scales with the 3⁄2 power of the shaking amplitude. Thus, a difference in magnitude of 1.0 is equivalent to a factor of 31.6 ( = (10^1.0)^(3 / 2)) in the energy released; a difference in magnitude of 2.0 is equivalent to a factor of 1000 ( = (10^2.0)^(3 / 2) ) in the energy released.

Thus, 6.3 to 8.9 is an increase of 10^2.6 or 398 in horizontal amplitude, but an increase of (10^2.6)^3/2 or 7943 in energy released. (They are saying that Japan has been re-assessed as 9.0, so that would actually make it 11220 times more energy released.)

It looks such an terrible disaster over there - the awesome power of nature is pretty awful as well.

[ricktas]

All this religious crap is like a piece of elastic. You can stretch it to fit almost anything.

omigosh how did i do that?

What Apollo typed and what you quoted him as saying above, has been edited by you:

What Apollo really typed
All this doomsday crap is like a piece of elastic. You can stretch it to fit almost anything.

Quoting another member and editing what they said, to misquote them, to suit your own agenda, and thus baiting members, is not on... BANNED.

[Analog6]

Oh nooooooo

The end of the world is nigh (May 21st actually)

AT least I get to enjoy a birthday drinkie or two first (5th!)

[ashbox]

some very devastaing pictures just there

[Kym]

Indeed the Christchurch 2nd quake was was 6.3, but the epicentre was much closer then the first quake some months before, also closer to the surface, thus the effect was much greater.

The tsunami was the main cause of damage in Japan, and it was the tsunami that knocked out the reactor cooling systems.

[kiwi]

That's right - but also when you consider the pictures from Toyko of the actual quake (all be it there was little damage) and then you consider that was 400klm away from the epicentre it's incredible.

[Kym]

That's right - but also when you consider the pictures from Toyko of the actual quake (all be it there was little damage) and then you consider that was 400klm away from the epicentre it's incredible.

Agreed! The inverse square law means a M9 quake is a big bugga as demonstrated by the Tokyo pics!

[Patagonia]

What happens between the plates is called Subduction:
http://146.83.103.222/sismo/infogral/img/050104_cascadia_subduction_03.gif http://www.tectonic-forces.org/images/fig16b.jpg

Magma emerges in the middle of the pacific ocean "creating" land that moves permanently east and west, when it reaches the continental plates it goes under them putting lot of pressure on these continental plates. It finaly melts again.
Rising mountain systems and volcanoes are a result of this as are earthquakes that happens usually when a lot of pressure has not been released because of this movement.

As and example the Nazca plate moves 6 cm/year torwards the south american plate, on the other hand the later moves 2 cm/year on the opposite direction. During the 1960 9.5 Richter earthquake in Valdivia the plates moved 20 meters!! in a distance covering more than 1.000 kms.

regards

[arthurking83]

Oh nooooooo

The end of the world is nigh (May 21st actually)

Kiwi! you have no idea on how true this really is!!

Tectonic plate movements are not a recent phenomenon.
The difference between what we've recently seen(past few years), and what's been happening over the course of the past 4 billion years is that now everyone want to know about them.. because we see the realtime fottage on Twatter, Youtool and all manner of realtime video capable communications devices.

Imagine how the Earth would have been hundreds of millons of years back when Australia didn't even exist.

I remember seeing a doco on these so called Nostradamus prophecies, with the basic concluded that his 'prophecies' are nothing of the kind, and that they are so open to interpetation that you could easily come one conclusion that where predicts that pink elephants subjugate humankind in a Planet of the Apes style future scenario. :rolleyes:

Nostradamus.. LOL! :rolleyes:

anyhow... plates move, collide and cause massive destruction, massively beautiful scenery(you didn't think the Himalayas were just there from day one 4 billion years ago, now did you!), and some massive mean @$$ed surfing conditions(for those that care).

We just have to live with this fact, and be prepared to expect more of this in the future.

How does Nostradamus fit into this? That he prophecised that the end of the world is nigh.. in unquestionable.. when is purely speculative. the Earth is doomed, has been doomed from the day it formed. Possbily 4 billion years from now, maybe sooner. When it happens, who really cares? if it happens and causes a real armageddon, does it really matter that Nostradamus predicted this.. chances are that he really didn't ... we're mislead into believing that he did, because someone wanted to find something to write about.(there must be money in writing such garbage.. why else would someone waste their lives doing so?)

KIWI!! relax, I'm about to get to your comment!

Apollo62 got it right when he said...

.... Life on this planet must conform to the ecosystem that allows all living things to exist on planet Earth and humans tend to forget they are not the masters of their environment as we have been led to believe..

Life on this planet must conform! If it doesn't conform, it will(almost certainly!!) perish. As the ecosystem is the irresistable force here, but without any immovable object to complete the cliche ... not even the tectonic plates.
Tectonic plates are the kinds of objects that we usually refer to as rock solid and stable so forth.
Dinosaurs didn't expect it, and look at what heppened to them. I wonder if they had their own version of Notradamus too(not that it'd have made any difference anyhow).
Whether they did or didn't, it didn't seem to help them all that much, did it? And from that, I believe that our Nostradamus isn't really going to be all that much help to our cause either.
So us mammals arose to claim dominance of the Earth in the vacuum of power that henceforth existed with the demise of the large lizards(who may or may not have cared for their nostradamus'es literature) and there is a very high likelyhood of history repeating itself all over again.
The question really is ... what(species), if any, will subsequently step up to claim dominance of the Earth with our demise?
My prophecy is of course those pink elephants previously referred too.

... and I reckon there's money in that claim :D .. and I'm the one going to make it this time! All I need y'all to do for me is to spread this rumour around ... in the mean time, I'm sure I'll figure out a way to organise the literature to appear to be disguised discombobulated diatribe.

All that loot!! Whoot!. I'm sure I'll find a suitable manner of equitable transfer of it all.. not on high end Nikon gear of course(KIWI!!.. I'm almost there.. you got this far, just hang on one more minute or so).
Nope.. not high end Nikon gear.. it'll have to be far more equitable than that.

SO, back to Kiwi's claim.. the end is nigh .. well in the USA, it's close enough to Nigh .. Nigh-Kon that is. High end Nikon gear .. stopped dead in it's tracks.
I have all the sympathy in the world for the disaster that Japan, Tokyo and Sendai faced, and the loss of life and displacement of lives, but the point of importance for us Nikonians here is Sendai.
While lots and lots of Nikon gear comes from Thailand and China, all the high end gear comes from their Sendai plant.. Apparently it's badly damaged, and obviously without any power to operate anyhow .. so ...

No new D4 coming soon. No D700 replacement coming soon. Even if it were ready on the 10th of March.. it simply isn't coming out.. until further notice(I suspect).
Nope! nothing, nuts, nada, not one iota!
I suspect and expect many people to sympathise and empathise with the people in Japan for their current turmoil, us Nikon gear heads also have an inner turmoil to deal with as well ... All we want is Nikon to prioduce soemthing else for us to 'brag about'! But, Nikon is currently dead(the real Nikon, Sendai that is .. everything else may as well be Nostradamus for all I care!).

Nigh-Kon news.. NOT brought to you courtesy of Nostradamus (http://nikon.com/about/news/2011/0314_01.htm).


:efelant:(lets just hope that these bugga's still have a very long wait).

[kiwi]

Nah mate, I've put in a leave application that day. Might go to the pub

[Phil777]

arthurking83, You said "Imagine how the Earth would have been hundreds of millons of years back when Australia didn't even exist."

What do you imagine humans looked like way back then?

[Analog6]

If you go to google maps and look at sea levels you can see the drop off right at the coast of Japan, and that is the edge of the plate they are on. With the Pacific plate relentlessly pushing west, and Japan sitting four square in the way, quakes are always going to be a fact of life and this was just one helluva big 'adjustment'.

The fact that there was so little structural damage from the quake is due to japan's wonderful building codes and construction methods, but these have developed from years of pain and destruction by quakes since 'modern' society evolved. I read they actually build the structures on sort of floating bases so the whole building moves with the quake, instead of the ground going one way the building resisting - which is what happened in Christchurch with conventional structure methods.

maybe NZ needs to look to Japan for building codes.

Regarding the nuclear status and debate, so far 'experts' keep telling us it won't affect us. Umm . . . isn't that ocean I look out on the Pacific, does it not touch our shores, and do we not eat the fish from it? I read that cesium 127 (I think I've remembered the right number) which is being released from the reactors CAN cause cancer and builds up in the food chain. I'm very worried about the emissions and subsequent fallout. The plants are right on the sea, they even appear to be built out into the ocean somewhat. At least Chernobyl was inland.

[farmer_rob]

Chernobyl may well have been inland, however there were subsequent impacts in britain - welsh and cumbrian lamb grazed on high hills was considered unfit to eat for some number of years because of nuclear fallout. It is still subject to restrictions according to wikipedia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster_effects "24 years after...". From memory, there was a similar impact on cheese production related to milk from animals grazed on similar high pastures. There was measurement off fallout in bees and milk in Oregon in the US.

[kiwi]

Re chch building codes, earthquakes were never expected there, however Wellington buildings are all of a very high earthquake standard , in fact since 1988 every CBD building basically had to be earthquake proofed no matter how old

[Analog6]

Chernobyl may well have been inland, however there were subsequent impacts in britain - welsh and cumbrian lamb grazed on high hills was considered unfit to eat for some number of years because of nuclear fallout. It is still subject to restrictions according to wikipedia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster_effects "24 years after...". From memory, there was a similar impact on cheese production related to milk from animals grazed on similar high pastures. There was measurement off fallout in bees and milk in Oregon in the US.

Yes, I did realise that Rob but I probably worded it badly, I meant the immediate fallout from Chernobyl did not go into the sea. Of course, Chernobyl had no containment vessel which made the accident much worse than it needed to have been. At least the Japanese ones have containment vessels, gives a bit of time for action to remediate the escape of radiation.

[ApolloLXII]

arthurking83, You said "Imagine how the Earth would have been hundreds of millons of years back when Australia didn't even exist."

What do you imagine humans looked like way back then?
There were no humans when the land mass that was to become this country had yet to shift from the super continent which had formed as a result of the rotation of the Earth, after the planet had cooled from it's formation. Like it or lump it, humans are a species of ape that believe that they are blessed with "intelligence" however there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the level of said intellect is not very high. You don't illuminate the interior a gunpowder factory using candles so why would you build a nuclear reactor in a country known to be prone to earthquakes?

[Patagonia]

If you go to google maps and look at sea levels you can see the drop off right at the coast of Japan, and that is the edge of the plate they are on. With the Pacific plate relentlessly pushing west, and Japan sitting four square in the way, quakes are always going to be a fact of life and this was just one helluva big 'adjustment'.

The fact that there was so little structural damage from the quake is due to japan's wonderful building codes and construction methods, but these have developed from years of pain and destruction by quakes since 'modern' society evolved. I read they actually build the structures on sort of floating bases so the whole building moves with the quake, instead of the ground going one way the building resisting - which is what happened in Christchurch with conventional structure methods.

maybe NZ needs to look to Japan for building codes.

Regarding the nuclear status and debate, so far 'experts' keep telling us it won't affect us. Umm . . . isn't that ocean I look out on the Pacific, does it not touch our shores, and do we not eat the fish from it? I read that cesium 127 (I think I've remembered the right number) which is being released from the reactors CAN cause cancer and builds up in the food chain. I'm very worried about the emissions and subsequent fallout. The plants are right on the sea, they even appear to be built out into the ocean somewhat. At least Chernobyl was inland.

Yes in Japan now its common for big buildings to be buit isolated from the ground (a very rough comparison would be a car suspension system) but also the Christchurch quake had its epicenter only at 10 km depth and that is very shallow and produces huge damage.

[jim]

Re chch building codes, earthquakes were never expected there, however Wellington buildings are all of a very high earthquake standard , in fact since 1988 every CBD building basically had to be earthquake proofed no matter how old

Christchurch was regarded as being at lower risk than Wellington, not as being safe. Building codes there were still pretty strict as far as I know, at least by Australian standards.

For what it's worth I spent my first 25 years there and never felt one.

[rellik666]

For those, including AK, interested in the Nik on's.....

http://www.adorama.com/ALC/News.aspx?alias=UPDATED-Japan-Photo-Industry-Affected-by-Earthquake-and-Tsunami&utm_source=ET&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=EmailALC030911

Very interesting thread this...I have learnt a lot...thankyou all.....who said this was just abour photography.

Good luck to all those in the world who have been affected by this.....

Roo

[Phil777]

There were no humans when the land mass that was to become this country had yet to shift from the super continent which had formed as a result of the rotation of the Earth, after the planet had cooled from it's formation. Like it or lump it, humans are a species of ape that believe that they are blessed with "intelligence" however there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the level of said intellect is not very high. You don't illuminate the interior a gunpowder factory using candles so why would you build a nuclear reactor in a country known to be prone to earthquakes?

Good point about not using intelligence as to where to locate nuclear reactors in the world.

Getting back to the humans are species of apes thing - do you think that all the different countries' humans came from one species of ape or many different species of apes? You know - was there a Japanese ape for instance and an Icelandic ape too?

[kiwi]

The theory of evolution is well set scientifically regarding the origin of t human species...to answer your question, no, there is one traceable source of humanity

[ApolloLXII]

Kiwi is correct. All humans are descended from a common ancestor and split into differing nationalities in much the same way as dogs, of which there are different breeds but they are all descended from wolves.

[kiwi]

Anyhow, back on topic, 25000 expected deaths now and you have to look on in horror at possible China syndrome situation

[ApolloLXII]

With all the workers now having been evacuated from the plant and people within a 30km radius of the reactors being told that is unsafe to venture outdoors, we can fairly assume that the situation is beginning to spiral out of control. It has been stated that there are containment measures in place to prevent any possible China Syndrome scenario however just how much strength in truth this statement holds remains to be seen.

[Analog6]

Have a look at this interactive quake map simulator (http://www.japanquakemap.com/)/mapper. This chap has produced a similar map for the Christchurch quakes - it is very interesting. The power is absolutely amazing.

Apollo, where did you see all the workers had been evacuated? The latest I saw on the web was that a crew of 180 were going in in shifts of 50 to keep trying to douse the reactors/fires with water.

[Phil777]

Kiwi is correct. All humans are descended from a common ancestor and split into differing nationalities in much the same way as dogs, of which there are different breeds but they are all descended from wolves.

So if we are al descended from one ancestor we are all really brothers and sisters and should not be going to war with each other.
Even the Chihuahua came originally from a wolf? Well what do you know! Amazing!

[Phil777]

Have a look at this interactive quake map simulator (http://www.japanquakemap.com/)/mapper. This chap has produced a similar map for the Christchurch quakes - it is very interesting. The power is absolutely amazing.

Apollo, where did you see all the workers had been evacuated? The latest I saw on the web was that a crew of 180 were going in in shifts of 50 to keep trying to douse the reactors/fires with water.

Yes, I just had alook at the Japanese Quake map thanks. It really does get the message across especially if you 'fast fwd' it. Wow!

Would you say it was true that earthquakes are increasing in many places around the earth?

[ApolloLXII]

Yep Phil777, biodiversity is what keeps life on this planet ticking and humans really are dumb for making war on each other, especially seeing how all it achieves is to waste human life. As for an increase in earthquakes around the globe, while it may seem to be so in the short term (the last 20-30 years), in the long term (over a period of several hundred to thousands of years), no. The frequency of earthquakes is totally reliant on plate tectonics and the frequency of earthquakes in our region is entirely due to pressure building up along the western edge of the Pacific plate. That pressure is now being released but that does not rule out the occurrence of more earthquakes in the region in the next few months or years. Like the weather, when an earthquake is likely to occur is very difficult to predict. One hopes that the situation in Japan re: the nuclear situation, can be resolved quickly without further loss of life.

[Phil777]

The theory of evolution is well set scientifically regarding the origin of t human species...to answer your question, no, there is one traceable source of humanity

Yes, but a theory is just that - a theory. Like no proof. Some of the supposed 'missing link' finds were hoaxes or frauds weren't they.

[Phil777]

Yep Phil777, biodiversity is what keeps life on this planet ticking and humans really are dumb for making war on each other, especially seeing how all it achieves is to waste human life. As for an increase in earthquakes around the globe, while it may seem to be so in the short term (the last 20-30 years), in the long term (over a period of several hundred to thousands of years), no. The frequency of earthquakes is totally reliant on plate tectonics and the frequency of earthquakes in our region is entirely due to pressure building up along the western edge of the Pacific plate. That pressure is now being released but that does not rule out the occurrence of more earthquakes in the region in the next few months or years. Like the weather, when an earthquake is likely to occur is very difficult to predict. One hopes that the situation in Japan re: the nuclear situation, can be resolved quickly without further loss of life.

Oh, I thought that there has been a significant increase in large earthquakes in recent decades. Some are saying they expect another big one in the USA shortly. Let's hope not.

[Analog6]

Phil, I think we are going through an active period, but we are also much more aware due to the media. Say 50 years ago we might never have heard much about, for example, the Chilean quake, or events in isolated communities and secretive societies. For instance, hands up those who know about the 1950s nuclear accident near Chelyabinsk (Urals) in the USSR? Not too many of you I bet. And there are many examoles of the Chinese hiding natural and technical disasters in their country so it would not affect their global economic place.

I am a climate change believer, I think in the years since the industrial revolution we have expelled so many gases and elements into the atmosphere that we must have had an influence. Look at the hole in the ozone layer, which has responded to the decrease in CFCs. The Arctic ice is breaking up and melting at a far greater rate then in recorded history and seemingly faster than any geological/ice core studies can find records of, while for some reason the Antarctic ice is not - it's calving but not melting.. I was speculating the other day to Warwick that could not that redistribution of the weight of all that water from frozen at the top to over the surface of the sea have some effect on the tectonic plates? I may be way off beam, I'm no scientist - but my mind jumps about all the time, and the thought just came to me.

Some years ago I read a paper on geological evidence (although there is some debate on it) that some time ago (I think the figure is 100,000 - 300,000 years ago) a 300m (yes, nearly 1000 ft high) tsunami washed over the Wollongong area. Some scientists have linked it to an asteroid/meteor strike, others say it didn't happen. The paper I saw some years ago had what seemed to me fairly compelling evidence of rocks from the sea and their random placement that indictaed a huge wave.

[Analog6]

There is an excellent article (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/no-escape-from-a-killer-wave/story-fn84naht-1226023803853) in the Inquirer section of the Weekend Australian by Cameron Stewart called 'No Escape from A Killer Wave'.

He covers the frequency of earthquakes and tsunamis and thinks, as I do, that it is the perception they are more frequent and an increased frequency in reportage which has come about - rather than an actual rise in frequency.

[ApolloLXII]

Yes, but a theory is just that - a theory. Like no proof. Some of the supposed 'missing link' finds were hoaxes or frauds weren't they.

The frauds and hoaxes took place in the years before scientific advancement came to the stage at what we know it today. The Piltdown Man, "discovered" in 1912 turned out to be a human skull with a jaw of an orangutan but those were the days when such things could be gotten away with. It took until 1953, when scientific technology had improved for the fraud to be exposed.

The common ancestral link between ourselves and apes has been conclusively proven by means of DNA sequencing, not the fossil record.

[Phil777]

Japan just had TWO quakes of 6.6 mag and one of 6.4 in the same area.

This is on the 22nd, 11 days after the 11th when the big one (9.0) hit.

http://www.japanquakemap.com/

[Phil777]

Some say that the blitz of quakes just off the north east coast of Japan may cause part of it to slide into the ocean.

http://www.youtube.com/user/2010TheCountdown#p/u/0/Iv50-6-GX9s

What do you think?

[ricktas]

Japan just had TWO quakes of 6.6 mag and one of 6.4 in the same area.

This is on the 22nd, 11 days after the 11th when the big one (9.0) hit.

http://www.japanquakemap.com/

You are relying on our Calendar system (gregorian) to try and impress with a series of numbers. If you use the Julian Calendar, or say perhaps the Sinhala calendar (Happy New Year for today, to any Sinhala AP Members, by the way), then your dates mean diddly-squat. You are using a man-made calendar that most western countries use, but that is ultimately a man-made set of numbers and sequences. Unfortunately this calendar, being man-made, has no link whatsoever to the natural world, other than that it does come close to matching the seasons of the year, but even then it needs to be 'fixed' every 4 years with a leap year. To try and make a man-made date system seem to adhere to some unknown force of nature and the internal timings of the planet is without basis, and in fact flawed. You are assuming that the calender that some people on this planet use, is the correct one, and that the Universe is guided by it. How? It isn't like man, or Earth is the centre of the Universe and that everything we create is pure and correct.

Sorry but your repeated attempts to link events to man-made dates and numbering systems is flawed from the start, due to the man-made dates and numbering systems you are using. You can base your statements on a calendar system, a decimal system, maybe base it on a dozen, a baker's dozen or the Mile, rather than the KM, or if neither of those fit, try nautical miles, the yard or the metre, or perhaps you could try a furlong or 2? Of course by using any man-made measuring or numbering system you can find something that fits what you want to use to impress upon others a sequence that seems to reflect some innate order of things.

Today is:

Gregorian: Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Mayan: Long count = 12.19.18.5.2; tzolkin = 10 Ik; haab = 10 Pop
French: 24 Germinal an 219 de la Révolution
Islamic: 9 Jumada I 1432
Hebrew: 9 Nisan 5771
Julian: 31 March 2011
ISO: Day 3 of week 15 of 2011
Persian: 24 Farvardin 1390
Ethiopic: 5 Miyazya 2003
Coptic: 5 Barmundah 1727
Chinese: Cycle 78, year 28 (Xin-Mao), month 3 (Ren-Chen), day 11 (Wu-Xu)
Julian day: 2455665
Day of year: Day 103 of 2011; 262 days remaining in the year
Discordian: Pungenday, Discord 30, Year of Our Lady of Discord 3177

So now, make your observations of some hidden numbering sequence that you have alluded to in these matters, at several times in your posts on AP, fit these Calendar Systems.

[alextdel]

Good call re the number and date system - We are so conceited to think that any part of the natural world is based on human constructed concepts. The only real relationship to nature that humans have is that we are a product of it, wonder at its scale, intricacy and magnificence while simultaneously consuming its bounty and potential.

[Phil777]

I'm sorry but I don't know any other Calendar system Rick. It has been with me since birth. I imagine it has been with a lot of other people too.
Nevertheless I thank you for your educational post.
I was just quoting the dates and quakes for some significant quakes. I think several more significant ones have happened since then anyway. A 6.1 yesterday plus five more over 5.0.
Another thing worth noting in regard to what is significant is all the planes that traverse the globe would probably be using the Gregorian Calendar and possibly UTC but correct me if I'm wrong.
Also, as I understand all air traffic control in international airports use the English language.
Now the Mayan calendar you mention in the list - I think I've heard of that. Something about next year I think - 2012? Is there anything in that? Perhaps 2012 is going to be a special year.
And as for the French, the Brits will never trust them:D Le Calendeur de La France est supreme, n'est ce pas?:eek: C'est la vie!:rolleyes:
I read somewhere that the French were being blamed for metrication.
And bon nuit!:D