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All tsunami warnings lifted after M7.3 quake hits northeast Japan

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All OK in Sendai, but can't use SMS.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The earthquake warning signal sounded on TV moments before the quake rocked downtown Tokyo, and we were braced here for the shaking ... and, uh oh, as I write this is slight ground movement again here in Tokyo ( a little quake, that's all). All you guys up north must have had a pretty good shake ... in the 5s from what TV is showing.

And TV was also fast in predicting tsunami for Japan's north-eastern coast line ... which is now being watched on the screen. Just hope it isn't as big as the one that destroyed the area nearly two years ago.

A TV commentator from Sendai is wearing his hardhat, as he's supposed to be doing under such circumstances.

We all should be getting used to these tremors by now ...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Almost same place as the last big one... Here in Tokyo, the floor suddenly started vibrating - not the usual swaying this time. That felt pretty weird...

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Still trying to hear back from my ex in Chiba Prefecture... God I hope everyone is okay?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I hope everyone is okay - and i hope the Fukushima nuclear plant is okay.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Well, you couldn't miss that one. But the earthquake early warning system was still counting down from about 50 seconds to arrival here in Tokyo, but was already here. What a miscalculation. That system usually works pretty well.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

7.3 plus aftershocks, hope everyone will be ok up north.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

That was big. Really felt this one. Hope everyone is safe. Keep calm and safe everyone.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Hope everyone's OK.

The JMA is saying it was a lower 5 here - it didn't feel that strong, but it seemed to go on forever. Maybe after 3/11 a 'mere' lower 5 is no great shakes. A few ornaments fell over, the dog barked and the cat has disappeared under the sofa. Mr cleo phoned to say that the trains were stopped but seem ready to start moving again soon.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@Thunerbird Was out in Chiba. It registered 4 on the scale, long but the shaking wasn't too violent. Hope all is okay.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Hope nothing bad happen, hope everyone safe.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Shaking in Yamagata, but lights on. Fingers crossed for the Pacific Coast.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Watching this with a very close eye.. I'm praying for everyone in the Tohoku region that they won't be struck again by another tsunami

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Had almost forgotten what it feels like... And a Friday again... I do hope that everyone is safe up there and that the expected tsunami won't materialise.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"No abnormalities have been recorded on instruments at Fukushima Daiichi nulcear plant’s six reactors. “All workers were ordered to take shelter inside buildings at the Fukushima plant. No abnormalities were confirmed with the radiation monitoring posts at the Fukushima plant. No abnormalities were seen with the water processing facilities,” a TEPCO spokesman said.

Noted sir and thanks. However, you are not hiding yourself and we stil have some air to breathe because the epicenter of the earhtquake was about 300 km far away in the Pacific. I guess the story would be different if such an earthquake was directly under the nuclear reactors. Judging from teh frequency and strength of earthquakes since March 11, one cannot rule out anything! We do not need to emphasize anymore that because Japan is prone to unpredictable huge, frequent and life threatening earthquakes, the nuke energy business model is not suitable. Voters should therefore, normally shun promoters of this deadly golem...You do not need a PhD in nuclear-chemo-physico-seismology to know this!

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power told AFP there were no reports of any problems at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

The whole plant is one big problem. Right, no abnormalities, except the continuing release of dangerous radiation. But this has become "normalized" through government and media propaganda.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Rocked long & hard in Narita, I left my office for the outdoors for a couple minutes, shook for a long time. Grabbed my bag & headed home, hopefully thats all there is & there isnt any big tsunami up north..........

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's certainly a big day here in Japan for quakes. We had 2 good tremors. The first quake hit this morning was around 5:30 am. I was up drinking my coffee, and it shook the house pretty good. The second we encountered this evening felt like it lasted over a minute, but we are fine in Tokyo area. I am more concerned about the people on the east coast because its now currently dark outside.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No abnormalities have been recorded on instruments at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s six reactors,” a TEPCO spokesman said.

I wish you could announce permanent closer of those nuke plants...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

It was pretty intense here in Ibaraki. Early warning from the phone gave me enough time to get dressed, but still managed to smash my toe into the table leg.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Scary in this cold weather up here in Hokkaido (it is already -7C out there). Let's hope for a quiet night. This one was pretty long and had me running outside for the first time in my life.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

She was a long one here in Fukushima - longest I've felt since the biggie last year. Keep your heads down folks - more are almost certain to come in the near future, sadly. Get them emergency kids ready and waiting outside your front doors!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Maybe after 3/11 a 'mere' lower 5 is no great shakes."

Yeah, I think that's the thing. Most of us probably will be using 3/11 as a reference point.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power told AFP there were no reports of any problems at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

And we are supposed to believe them why? I mean they blatantly lied to the PM before so lying to the media should be no big thing?

If I was the PM I would be sending out a team to check for themselves and screw whatever TEPCO's mouthpieces say publicly. The Japanese government, (meaning the people) for all intents and purposes OWN TEPCO and the public should be DEMANDING proof!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@Thunerbird Was out in Chiba. It registered 4 on the scale, long but the shaking wasn't too violent. Hope all is okay.

Just heard from her... she's okay.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Zero vibrations or shakes in Northern Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"the wave swept ashore in Ishinomaki, a city badly hit by the 2011 tsunami"

There are still people living in Ishinomaki? Hope everyone is safe.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

was a pretty long and big shake up here in Morioka, Iwate.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

NHK just announced the tsunami warning is lifted, so thats good, hope we are done!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

All clear now! Lucky it wasn't as strong as the last one.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Talking about bouncing back, Takeshi Honda just skated to Silent Night at Sendai Winter Park. It was shown live on TV ten minutes ago. The show must go on while there are long lines at the gas stations and some students coming home one hour later due to their safety from aftershocks. We're just resilient up here in Sendai. I don't know.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The news says that although the warning has been lifted, do not approach the sea as things will not be 100% safe for a bit yet, especially with high tide coming on.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power told AFP there were no reports of any problems at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

Oh, that's all right then. Why on earth would anyone doubt TEPCO's assurances? Didn't they say the same thing as the bloody roof was blowing off last year?

7 ( +13 / -6 )

is it a kind of after-shock of 3.11? or fore-shock of big another one?

because M7.3 struck Tohoku 2days before that. it's similar to today's

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Many thoughts and prayers with the people of Tohoku. Among the loveliest people on earth.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Big shake here in Tokyo at the sports club. Nice to watch TV coverage from the bike machines. Still spooked.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

question is - is reactor #4 ok?!

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

No major damage and thank God it's over, just 10~20cm tidal waves may hit some areas..!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

NHK just announced the tsunami warning is lifted, so thats good, hope we are done!

I just hope this earthquake was releasing some built up pressure and not a warning to a even bigger quake similar to last year.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

felt dizzy this one very strong ...

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Dont worry guys. this one is nothing compared to last year

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Foxie please try to stay safe and warm up there in Hokkaido!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Glad everybody seems to be OK. Guess it goes with the territory but you have to wonder what happens if the fault lets go farther south. All the talk seems to be about the next "big one" for Tokyo. I don't want to think about it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Glad to hear everything is okay. Cannot believe Japanese want the LPD back in power that is ready to start all nuke plants.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No offense but Welcome to the one of the world's dangerous island!

Earthquakes, Typhoons, Land slides, Flood, Radiation...! All nature's bad games!

Still we love this wonderful country! God bless us!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Was like a 2 in Kanagawa, shaking a bit longer than usual, but just a minute after, business was back as usual.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Realistic. Even though I gave you a thumb up, I just would like to correct your typo:

.....Radiation...! All nature's bad games!

This one is a pure human bad game.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I'M REPORTING IN FROM SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO (NORTH JAPAN)

My mom, back in Canada, just messaged me freaking out "ARE YOU OKAY"? I was in a car and felt almost nothing. So... seriously, it's not a big deal here, guys (from what I can see). People at the university felt it and were like "oh, that's nice".

Everything is FINE and that was a pathetic shake, just so you know. :) Don't worry about us!

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Pretty good shake here in Tokyo, and very long, just like back then with the big one. Ran out and met my neighbours like last time around... As soon as the TV said Tohoku, we we knew already this must have been a really big one this time.

I noticed that this time the TV warnings were different... the announcer was shouting "run, save your life" all the time... pretty drastic contrast to the conventional style. I doubt thought that anybody really needed TV warnings up there. Surely nobody has forgotten the big one yet.

As for the people still screaming about Fukushima: get a grip. The plant has not been in operation for year, and the used fuel has been able to cool down a lot. Was at an info meeting last week, and the engineers said that by now, even if the spent fuel pool in no. 4 runs dry, the residual heat now would not cause any rods to melt any more. So please stop playing that old record.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Well, seems like it was not as bad as the reports immediately after the quake, and I'm extremely glad to hear the tsunami was not the 5 meters or so initially reported, and that it seems there were no casualties. Still, it's scary stuff. I'm also glad to see people were asked to flee very quickly this time around, even if, again, things ended up not being as bad as initially reported. It's mildly disconcerting to hear about all the technical glitches and inability to get through by phone (they should have learned from this kind of thing last time and worked on better systems immediately), and as for TEPCO and what they say, who can believe them? I mean, they might be telling the truth, but saying there are 'no abnormalities' at a plant still not under control, they might NOT be telling the truth. They have a better record of the latter.

Anyway, peeps, stay safe. Been a couple of aftershocks and might be more.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Earthquakes, Typhoons, Land slides, Flood, Radiation...! All nature's bad games!

Radiation? Nature? Anyway........

So much for the scientist stating they can predict large quakes, hey? Oh, well, better get back to piecing together a hand made sculpture that bounced of the shelf and smashed into a million bits! :-(

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Hope everybody's alright. Be strong

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I hated that. Was eight floors up and it shook pretty bad. Stay safe people in tohoku.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I'M REPORTING IN FROM SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO (NORTH JAPAN) My mom, back in Canada, just messaged me freaking out "ARE YOU OKAY"? I was in a car and felt almost nothing. So... seriously, it's not a big deal here, guys (from what I can see). People at the university felt it and were like "oh, that's nice". Everything is FINE and that was a pathetic shake, just so you know. :) Don't worry about us!

I know what you mean about almost feeling nothing. Since moving from Nikko to Sapporo I've not really experienced any quakes.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan is supposed to be on two different plates, but this one was felt way down in Kyushu!

Let's hope they get these sea walls up to protect the reactors.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

On 13 September 2012, the Japanese government announced to quit with nuclear power by 2040. Not a week later, on 19 September 2012, the exit date has been set to 'undefined'. As in Germany in 2010, the irresponsible nuclear lobby obtained to 'exit from exit' - fortunately not for long.

Worldwide there are still 432 nuclear reactors in operation and 56 new ones are under construction. Small disasters like the recent earthquake remind us regularly that the consequences of the big disasters are not drawn sufficiently.

There is no other business in which the risk is borne by so many people whereas so few put the profits into their pockets.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

...on March 9 2011, two days before the disaster, a magnitude-7.3 quake--which is considered a foreshock of the March 11 quake--occurred close to the latter quake's epicenter.

Two years and so little in reconstruction of walls has even been started never mind finished. Get a SHIFT ON!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Glad to hear all hear are safe. Our old place in Miyagi still stands... I hope.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

YongYang.

Well, I'm sure he meant it in the way that radiation is natural as well as man made. Just think, although most people don't think about it, the tan you get at the beach are actually radiation burns.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Quakes are just part of nature so get used to it!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

We had 2 good tremors. The first quake hit this morning was around 5:30 am. I was up drinking my coffee, and it shook the house pretty good. The second we encountered this evening felt like it lasted over a minute

Thank you for that post, Vernie Jefferies... I was awoken by the first one, early, but no one else I know felt it, so I thought I may have dreamt it!

But the 5:18pm one was no dream, it seemed to last and last.

Paintings clanging on the walls. Seasickness. I went to my doorway, opened the door and listened to the building move...

Me no like-y.

I'm very glad it was not as bad as it seemed!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I hope people of Northern and Eastern Japan are always prepared on these unexpected events. Filipinos are always praying for safety of our Japanese friends.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am glad it was not worse.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Open MindedDEC. 07, 2012 - 10:07PM JST Radiation... This one is a pure human bad game.

I agree!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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