M6.4 strikes 115 kms off Iwate; no tsunami warning issued

Hmmm, didn't feel a thing.

Thank heavens that was a bit far off into the ocean. Hope none of these several earthquakes hits near or directly under the newly restarted nuclear reactors. We all know that it is the earthquakes and tsunamis, not the Nodas which will have the final say and advise on the nuclear reactors!

What's with the discrepancy between the two agencies. Perhaps the "science" is not as advanced as we are led to believe.

"They" had us afraid with predictions of another giant one(7.5+) a yr later.

I wonder if these recent 2 or 3 six+ quakes count, and we are off the hook...

@never

they use different parameters from different measurement stations. Last years big one was originally called 8.8 by the Jpns for a couple of days I think. US had it at 9.0. The Jpns went up to 8.9 and then 9.0 and finally both went up to 9.1. One thing it taught me was don't just trust the jpns because they have "more experience". I have seen a couple cases where the US version became the finalized one. (and where the J version became it). Just tricky science I guess.

usually the little earthquake comes before the big one.

Wednesday March 9th 2011 was a small earthquake and than Friday March 11th 2011.

I remember very well. It happened around lunch time.

Near Iwate?? Thank the gods it was not right under Iwate! I hate earthquakes!!

The quakes keep getting closer and closer to Oi.

earthquake intensity is not an exact science, you need to look at thousands of data points from across the globe and use a super computer to calculate (back track) and pinpoint the originating location and intensity. The more info the more accurate it becomes, but it take time. When the earthquake is off the scale it can take days to do through vast amounts of data. Some of the data is junk and contradicting, some are just inaccurate, as I said it is not an exact science and with more powerful computers and more sensitive equipment used for data points the better we will become at calculating in a shorter amount of time. I would trust Japanese institutions over any other single country and the whole of earth as a collective when it comes to seismic data. I may not trust Tepco, the J-Gov and Pro-Nuke institutions, but when it comes to earthquakes their are thousands of professionals who have been at it for years. Also the same people who tell Tepco that the Nukes are unsafe and a tsunami of x size is inevitable.

An earthquake of equal magnitude as this one struck northern Philippines on Sunday. I wonder if these two are connected.

@whiskeysour usually the little earthquake comes before the big one.

This is just not true. While last years big quake was preceded by a couple of smaller quakes there is evidence to suggest that this is an expected occurrence.

Felt it in Aomori Prefecture! It shook me awake this morning.

What happens when one strikes that does cause a tsunami like we saw 3.11? Are we just waiting to see what happens or praying that it doesn't?

I think it's a bad idea to post "predictions of disasters". They are nothing but "attention getters". This only scares people. It's always a good idea to be prepared and to have a disaster kit ready to use. Earthquakes are as of yet, not predictable. Just saying.

@Farmboy. Of course I am well aware of the risks for earthquake, tsunamis and even Mount Fuji erupting but the threat of nuclear fallout is an entirely different level of danger and it is a permanent one (in terms of our life spans at least) for the contaminated areas.

What we can say is that Japan is sitting on tectonic plates which are being compressed from under the sides and constantly need to release energy. These releases come in small or large bursts. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which came first, the small earthquake or the large one?

They follow each other like the spikes on a lie detector graph, growing larger and smaller in phases, and this process will only stop when the earth is burned up in the sun.

That more earthquakes and tsunami will come is guaranteed. Some will be major. As said above, best to be prepared.

cwhite,

I don't know. I used to think that, but I have seen several times more accurate info come from the US about quakes in Japan, as well as other places. I respect it is a difficult, big job, but after everything's over, often the US data was best.

The quakes keep getting closer and closer to Oi.

Oi is in Fukui, on the Japan Sea side of Honshu.

Or if worrying is the thing, you could read about the big earthquake coming on July 8, 2012.

Eclipses don't cause earthquakes.

They don't???

@Farmboy. Of course I am well aware of the risks for earthquake, tsunamis and even Mount Fuji erupting but the threat of nuclear fallout is an entirely different level of danger and it is a permanent one (in terms of our life spans at least) for the contaminated areas.

You're correct, it's at a different level of danger. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions can kill you a billion times faster than nuclear fallout will. As far as which one is permanent, death is ALWAYS permanent. On that note, let's take a minute to mourn those killed by the fallout from Fukushima since March 11 of last year... Oh, THAT'S right! There AREN'T any! Guess we don't need a minute then? Or maybe we should use the minute to mourn those killed by the earthquake and the tsunami last year?

How does being a game design lead to expertise in earthquake data analysis. Stop being so gullible, people.

In addition, all the comments on that blog are from 2009 or so, which means he didn't predict Tohoku.

What I meant was that his theory on earthquakes is from 2009.

He picks the quake on 6/18 to say-

Torque Owner Britton LaRoche

705

06/17/2012 (2:14 pm) And so it begins...

M6.4 - 28km SE of Ofunato, Japan 2012-06-17 20:32:20 UTC

Begins? It hasn't ended from last year. You can't cherry pick. There have been quakes pretty much continuously since last year. This quake on 6/18 is a 'beginning'?

I get tired of irresponsible individuals.

All readers back on topic pleae.