A strong earthquake shook Fukushima on Wednesday evening (local time). Japan Meteorological Agency Issued a tsunami warning for Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures.
The prolonged 7.3-magnitude earthquake Almost eleven years after the day after a devastating 9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent massive tsunami devastated the northeastern Asian archipelago. On March 11, 2011, a 14-meter tidal wave hit the Pacific coast and flattened everything: towns, villages, and vast areas of agriculture sank into lumps of water and mud.
However, there are clear differences between the current earthquake and the 2011 catastrophe. While the Tohoku earthquake was relatively shallow at a depth of about 13 kilometers, the current earthquake occurred at a depth of about 56 kilometers. Also, in 2011, the interface between two tectonic plates broke – the Okhotsk Plate, on which northern Japan is located, and the sloping Pacific Plate. These are known as mega earthquakes, which are some of the most powerful earthquakes on the planet. The sea floor moves with great force, which leads to high rates of tsunamis.
On the other hand, the current earthquake is believed to have occurred on the tilted sea floor – and released less than 1 percent of the energy recorded in 2011. Therefore, experts consider the risk of a major tsunami to be relatively low. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of a tidal wave up to one meter in height, according to the first reports, a tsunami about 20 centimeters high hit the coast. However, it is not yet clear whether other, larger waves will follow.
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