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Strong quake hits Kyushu region, collapsing walls, houses
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kawabegawa198
That was one of the scariest experiences of my life. Still getting aftershocks....
Abu Zinnirah
Stay safe everyone
njca4
Holy Cow ! Any volcanoes near you? I just switched the box on in Tokyo and saw the news. Hope you're OK mate.
Danny Bloom
From the TV camera images at the time the quake hit, as seen on nhk now worldwide channel, the shaking was extremely strong. The quake struck shallow just ten miles deep so surface seimic waves, as nhk webcam caught as they rolled in to nhk studio newsroom in Kumamoto, were massive. When sun rises on Friday...
Myhumbletake
A very nice place with wonderful people. Kyushu stay safe and strong.
LaserOstriches
Wow. Happening pretty late in the evening. That shaking looked intense on the TV.
Vesna Drofenik
I felt the earhquake in Hiroshima! Must have been strong in Kumamoto...
Mary Nixon
Shaken up in Fukuoka a couple times tonight. I need to go to sleep though. Im staying fully dressed through the night just in case though
bookowls
It was 10 kms deep, not miles. Another one of 4.2 just happened 4 minutes ago at the time of writing. Initial shock wave hit Yamaguchi at just M3.
Disillusioned
Really, but that's not an active fault because they have nuclear reactors built there, right? The whole damn country is an active fault! I'm glad nobody was injured.
Monozuki
Most of Japanese TV stations including NHK Educational Television are now reporting breaking news about this big one. Stay safe everyone.
serendipitous
Shindo 7 must be extremely shaky.
I couldn't believe the 2011 earthquake was only a Shindo 5+ in Tokyo as it shook like hell.
Kaishu
Still getting a few aftershocks down here in Yatsushiro........ have to change my undies again.
Vernie Jefferies
I never seen so many aftershocks being reported. I thought they were repeating the same message, until I saw the revision of the new time. It's very scary in Western part of Japan. I'm worried about Mt. Aso near Kumamoto. It's an active volcano, and I have many friends in that region.
kagoshima126
Tell me about it. I was at Narita airport when THE big one struck. Had to sleep in the terminal for that night. All those aftershocks throughout the night was what really got to me. Not the initial tremor.
bass4funk
That earthquake was so violent! I was in my office near Kurume and the shaking was off the charts. Haven't been through anything that violent since the 1971 Los Angeles quake that was about 6.7 magnitude, this one was around 6.0-6.4. I was a little kid, but something like that you just never forget. Lot of damage, but the main thing is, no one I know was hurt, that's the main thing, everything else can be replaced.
cleo
Rubble in the streets, collapsed buildings, fires.
If past quakes are anything to go by, daylight will reveal much more damage, and casualties. Stay safe if you're in Kumamoto.
bookowls
No it isn't....we rarely get earthquakes in this area. Compared to other areas of the nation, it's one of the safest.
Old Yatsushiro
Sending love and prayers from Philadelphia. Moved with my family to Yatsushiro in 1959 as a child and my parents lived there until I was almost out of high school. Relieved to see that so far no casualties from this quake.
smithinjapan
Four so far, and if there have been so many in such a short time, I suspect more aftershocks (or quakes) to come. Please be careful, people, and stay safe.
Danny Bloom
Don't worry about Aftershocks, scary as they feel. In fact, they mean the main quake is over, and the extra energy being released by the fault means you don't have to fear any more big shakes. Not for 25 years in Kumamoto.
bigfujiyama
No it isn't. There are a large number of active faults in central Kyushu because the Japan Median Tectonic Line runs straight through there. Just because there haven't been any large quakes there in recent years means nothing in tectonic terms. Anywhere along the Median Tectonic Line has the the potential to produce large quakes.
Gregory Rutchik
It is something to read rheae from Los Angeles and see your reactions. Stay safe. My lovely Yufuin and Beppu and All of Kyushu I hope it isnt too bad. I remember my Tokyo earth quake experiences scared the heck out of me. Not fun
cleo
Another 6+ just now. Very scary.
itsonlyrocknroll
Heart felt wishes for a safe outcome for the people of Kyushu.
bigfujiyama
Educator60 is right. A Tokyo university seismologist just said because of its makeup that area is susceptible to more aftershocks than other areas.
There are also foreshocks that precede larger quakes. It is impossible to tell them apart. The only thing you can do is be prepared.
Alex80
My heart is with you, Japan.
Danny Bloom
Apologies. I was trying to downplay danger of Aftershocks. I was just trying to offer some potentially soothing and optimistic notes about the usual experience with Aftershocks. But my timing was off, especially for those living in the area. My apologies.
SuperLib
Kyushu, my old stomping grounds. Everyone sounds pretty shaken up right now based on the Facebook messages. Glad I didn't have to endure that.
ThePBot
Aftershocks are actually the most dangerous.
Vernie Jefferies
Even after 5 am, and they are still getting strong aftershocks. Just wow. I can't imagine it.
KariHaruka
RIP to those tragically killed and my deepest thoughts with all those that have been affected by this latest earthquake.
Stay safe everyone, and remember to be ready for whenever the next one will hit. Preparation will play a key factor in whether you escape unharmed or not.
don-in-japan
Erm... I think you're mistaken - as far as I can ascertain, no-one died.
Danny Bloom
Don in Japan, 2 deaths confirmed. Check BBC news site
KariHaruka
From the NHK reporting there has now been 9 confirmed deaths, with a further 900 injured. Whether that number will go out we won't know till the rescue services complete their searches in day lit conditions.
don-in-japan
Yup... pretty much as soon as I hit 'submit' on that, news started coming in on deaths.
MsDelicious
9 Deaths now from what I heard. That is terrible
Himajin
They may be relatively rare, but they tend to be whoppers!
AnizaD
My condolences to those who have suffered in this earthquake. I hope the worst is over.
I'd be glad of advice though. I'm travelling through Japan with my elderly mother at the moment and am headed for Nagasaki and Kitakyushu in less than a week. We have no experience with earthquakes, and are quite concerned about being on the same island. Is it safe to travel to other parts of Kyushu?
KariHaruka
Besides tremors from the initial earthquake, Nagasaki & Kitakyushu (to my knowledge) haven't suffered damage, and if they have it hasn't been reported in the media. Expect aftershocks for the next week or so though, but these will mainly be concentrated around the Kumamoto area. I have the Yurekuru app and areas such as Nagasaki have only faced intensities of 1&2 on the Shindo Scale, and that is at the very low end of the scale. You can find out more info on the Shindo Scale here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Meteorological_Agency_seismic_intensity_scale
So keep to your travel plans but as with any area of Japan, assert a level of precaution and be prepared in the event of a earthquake! Also make sure that you read your hotels procedures for earthquakes. You can usually find the booklet that contains this information near the door to your room or in the dressing table with all the other booklets.
AnizaD
Thank you for the advisory, KariHaruka. However, after experiencing a magnitude 3 shake all the way in Hiroshima last night, we have decided that it is too frightening for us to visit Kyushu just now. God willing, we will come again when things are more stable. I pray that Nature will be gentler with Japan.
KariHaruka
After the second (and even stronger) earthquake I would certainly agree that it is wise to stay awake from the Kyushu area for now. Not only due to the strong tremors that are still being experienced, but also because of just how bad transportation will be in the area. Trains are currently out of operation in Kumamoto & Oita prefectures, and many buses aren't running in the Kumamoto area either. You can find more information regarding the travel situation here though http://www.japan-guide.com/news/0035.html
I wish you and you're mother all the best though and that you both stay safe during the rest of your travels!