national

M5.4 quake jolts Ibaraki, Tokyo

43 Comments

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted Ibaraki Prefecture and other parts of the Kanto region on Thursday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake struck at 7:32 a.m. Its epicenter was situated 60 kilometers underground off Ibaraki, the agency said. In Saitama, Chiba and Tokyo, the quake registered 3.

No tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, Fuji TV reported.

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43 Comments
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This SOB was not my kinda alarm clock...... no thx!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I do hope you are all safe over there.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This one was right outside (almost under) of Tokai Mura.

Then coincidentally one and half hour later this news shows up at nhk world. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120301_07.html

2 plants to undergo checks for multiple faults

Then a bit further down.

The Tokai Daini Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture and the Tomari power facility in Hokkaido, now say they cannot rule out the possibility that they are vulnerable[To earthquakes].

4 ( +5 / -1 )

After re-reading my post I thought I'd better add some info.

I did not mean to imply that the earthquake this morning caused any damage at the NPP.

Also I did intend coincidentally to be taken literally, not sarcastically.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

long one as well... not that strong in minatoku tho

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I do hope you are all safe over there.

Elvensilvan - On behalf of "us", I DO thank you for your concern, which did not sound the least bit patronizing.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Elvensilvan, Yup, I think "we" are fine, thank you. It was strong enough to shake a few loose items off a shelf, but I don't think it did any real damage.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Woke me up this morning. Convenient!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Felt it in my studio. Actually heard it first. We just had another one a few minutes back. My phone went off.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Was reading JT when I felt it, was stronger than the one after midnight last night.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

4 of our French colleagues or on their way to the airport as we speak following this shaker.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It was quite a loud shaker in Tsukuba. The first Shindo four that I didn't miss by conincidence for a while. Not that I "miss" them in an emotional sense. Kind of a quake season, it seems. It's the fifth magnitude 5 or above quake in the Fukushima, Ibaraki and Chiba area in about 40 hours. Could it be foreshocks of the next big one?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I can't believe I didn't feel it. I was on the train at the time!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I dont like March any more!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

my lawn chair almost fell over...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Damn, I was sleeping at the time, and actually dreamt there was an earthquake (never dreamt about eqs before). Only I'm in Kyushu, so there's no way I actually felt it. Creepy.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Yeah, we seem to having quite a few recently. My IPhone alarm has been on overtime! Kids didn't want to go to school after this morning's greeting from Mother Nature. Keep stocked up and be safe.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Absolutely no movement here near Tsukiji / Chuo. No phone alarm either. I can't believe there was anything?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Who would give thumbs down for my comment? If anything you should be happy for me I had a good, uninterrupted night of sleep until 8:30h this morning :-D

No, seriously, is anyone here living in Chuo-ku who noticed anything?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Here in Sumida-ku/Tokyo, my Yurekuru app on the iPhone was chiming away frantically as the quake rooooollllled through.Two minutes later, NHK TV is analyzing the strength throughout Kanto and Tohoku. Pretty impressive.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My part of Tokyo shook but my stupid yurekuru alarm?? Nothing!!! Btw I was sitting on the toilet again just Like last year on March 11th!! What a coincidence??

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

My gas supply automatically shut off, so I had to go outside in my pyjamas to try and reset it.

Here in Ibaraki the earthquakes do seem to be hitting us more frequently and violently recently.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Elbuda.

Yurekure and many other systems only alert if a shindo 5 or higher is expected in your location.

SeriouslyCreamy.

A lot of quakes based around the Chiba, etc pensinsula recently.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

@Elbuda Mexicano: Do you spend a proportionately large amount of time on the toilet, or does your being on the toilet trigger the quakes?

Coincidentally, my 1st quake in Japan (many years ago) happened when I was on the toilet. Thought the fumes were giving me vertigo...and then the shakes!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Remember your earthquake training. Hold on to the TV.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

actually you can set the location and level you'd like to be notified for on the Yurekure; so mine is at 3 or above for Minato-ku, for example

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It was about a Shindo 3 in Western Tokyo where I was. The article states "5 in Tokyo", but according to JMA it was between 1 and 3 in Tokyo. The Japan Trench extends to the Ogasawara Trench which starts to the South East of Chiba. It could be that these are related aftershocks...hopefully not foreshocks. Considering how powerful the March quake was, it's not at all surprising. Just the fact that it's made us all edgy everytime we feel a quake.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

HansnFranz - Im about 5 minutes away from you and we felt it here. Hard to believe it was a lower 5 in Tokyo though - is that a mistake? Seemed to be barely a shindo 2 to me.

Moderator: The story has been updated. In Tokyo, it was a 3.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Elbuda - PLEASE for the love of God keep off the toilet!!!! Its YOU thats doing all this!!!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

PS - I was thinking of you when I saw the "Where were you on 3/11" thread! Have you added your voice to it yet? Would love to see that translated into Japanese!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Nicky.

Not that unusual.

Imagine being on the throne or in the tub and having to escape with a towel or the panties around your ankle = worst scenario. ;)

How much a quake is felt also depends on the local soil composition, etc.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@Nicky,

Hard to believe it was a lower 5 in Tokyo though - is that a mistake?

The Magnitude was 5.4.

But on the Japanese "Shakeometer" , the shindo scale. It was a low 5 in Tokai Mura, Ibaraki. 3-4 in the rest of Ibaraki. And then it was 2-3 in Tokyo Area.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A shindo map can be found here. This one usually shows up a few minutes after the quake is over.

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/3/20120301074314391-010732.html

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Barely felt it. My guitar rattled ever so slightly. Near the beach the quakes are quite dampened...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yesterday, I was stuck in the train because of SNOW, today by the JISHIN. Things that I am getting used to. Not bad. BTW, how many jishins over 5.0 have We had this year?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I set the Japan Quake Map for '5' and 'last seven days' and there have been 10 of 5 and over, they're all from the 27th to today. I have no idea how many there since the start of the year.

http://www.japanquakemap.com/

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I am near Shinjuku and it shook pretty hard. It's the 3rd one i felt in the last 2 days.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Albert Lazzaris ...well given that this one didn't even wake me up here in central Tokyo, although I am a light sleeper, I'd say, "keep those fivers rolling, mother earth - is that all you got??"

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I'd say, "keep those fivers rolling, mother earth - is that all you got??"

No, it isn't all she's got. Be very careful what you ask for.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

No, it isn't all she's got. Be very careful what you ask for.

Yep. Plenty more where that came from.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Thumbs down for putting up a map? Some of you need other stress relief measures...

Jesus, yes, don't dove mother earth any ideas.......last year was more than enough.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

'give'

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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