Japan faces a devastating earthquake of 8.9 magnitude followed by Tsunami with 20 – 40 feet huge ocean-waves inundating 4 cities…

Japan faces a devastating earthquake of 8.9 magnitude followed by Tsunami with 20 – 40 feet huge oceanic-waves inundating 4 cities…  


Date: 11 March 2011


Earthquake:

• Time: 2.46 pm Japan time 
• Magnitude: 8.9 on the Richter scale 
• Epicenter location: 130 km (80 miles) from the coastal city of Honshu and 373 km (231 miles) from Tokyo
• Epicenter depth:  struck in mid-ocean at a depth of 24.4 km, 

Tsunami: (Dictionary meaning = A large destructive oceanic-wave caused by an underwater earthquake or another movement of the Earth's surface)


What is tsunami: 


Experts say that tsunami is the resultant natural calamity that follows earthquakes of the magnitude of 8.4 and above. Since this earthquake had the magnitude of 8.9 at Richter scale, it generated enormous energy that triggered off massive oceanic-waves rising as high as 20 to 40 feet and moved at a deadly speed towards the mainland. 


These waves also behave in the same manner the tidal-waves do. They do not affect the naval ships and boats moving in the deep seas. The huge high tides carry away every single thing, whatever, in the coastal region which comes in its way while moving towards the mainland.  


Japan faces the strongest earthquake-Tsunami devastation of the century: 


The epicenter of today’s earthquake was 130km from Honshu at a depth of 24.4km under the surface of seawater. The earthquake  triggered  13 meter high oceanic-waves that struck the coast at Honshu, washing away ships from the coastal waters, automobiles and debris from the mainland and devastated  buildings and almost every single structures that came on its way.


The earthquake triggered off huge inferno in the Ichihara oil refinery. Four reactors had shut down automatically at the Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi plant. Initial reports said that all these plants were safe and there was no leakage of radiation. 

Electric supply has been shut off in the affected areas.  Train and bus services remained suspended and stranded commuters found running around in search of taxis. Many schools, colleges and universities in the affected areas have opened their classrooms for the stranded commuters for emergency crisis accommodation. 


According to a press report by Japanese news agency Kyodo, at least 32 people are believed to have been killed and many others injured. No one can estimate the number of people missing and about those drowned or lying under the debris. Such information would come to light only when the situation comes to normal. 


It has been reported that all Indians in Tokyo are safe. This report appears to be about the employees of the Indian Embassy; however, reports about Indians working in other sectors are yet to be confirmed. 


We the world community need to be patient and should keep ourselves away from being panicky.  This is a natural calamity about which there is no ‘advance forecast system’ available in the existing scientific and technological knowhow.  We should rather be more vigilant about the 20 odd coastal areas around the world where tsunami is expected to unleash similar devastation in the next 24 hours. 
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Japan...! We are with you.
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