national

24 injured after M6.3 quake hits western Japan

60 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2013 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

60 Comments
Login to comment

That was a decent 15 second shake. Same size as Iran's the other day. Thankfully Japanese has better building codes.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

earthquake alert warning (sound) on my mobile was stronger than the earthquake.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VF3iJBLzjRs

This is a video of the 1995 Kobe quake. I saw the news this morning and I'm glad everything is okay! Lets hope another disaster like this doesn't happen again!

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Rockin and Rollin on the 9th Floor 5:30am in North Osaka. I went to save my Discus fish and Freddy Krugger Frog. My girl went to save her aquarium. Now its 7:00 the fish are eating, shes asleep, and I'm still up

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I have family in the Takamatsu area, and they all are fine with no damage. Great full for that, but every time there is a mention of the word earthquake, I right away have flashbacks of the news footage of 3/11 disaster as it was unfolding live.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm on Awaji, and it was LOUD! My phone went off after the quake started so I figured it had to be close.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

You're right, zichi, I didn't think of the timing!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The first one was strong but very short in Osaka. I was wondering for a few minutes if that was a quake or if a North-Korean plane had fallen in my street. Well, scary as it the same places as Hanshin quake.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Scary, but I'm amazed at the public alarm service to my Keitai that woke me up before the shaking was at its strongest point (or it seemed so, at least). Wow, almost the same place and time as Hanshin '95

7 ( +7 / -0 )

earthquake alert warning (sound) on my mobile was stronger than the earthquake.

Indeed, what's the deal with the phone alert? It was more scary than the earthquake itself, and started when the house movement was already stopping.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Was awoken by the shaking before I noticed the Alarm, grabbed the kids and dived under the table. Couldn't go back to sleep. In 17 years I haven't felt one like that.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I was sitting on the toilet when this happened. Quite an experience.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Cos: I'm in Osaka and I felt it for the better part of 20 seconds or more, although I admit to drinking quite a bit last night.

Anyway, I woke up instantly, and about 10 seconds later that horrible squawking came out of my phone. I like that it actually worked (the emergency signal), but I'm really not sure how it's going to help if you're already in the middle of 'the big one'.

Glad there were no serious injuries. I didn't really even notice the second one.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Woah who put that alarm on my phone? I didnt even know I had that alarm until today. Pretty long shake too.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A good 30 seconds here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Alarm triggered off at 5.33am and next moment I felt the earth moved. Swayed for almost 5 mins as I was on the 22nd floor of APA Hotel, Higobashi, Osaka. First time experience earthquake and it's very frightening.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Welcome back aboard to earthquake awareness in Hyogo, Kyushu, Shikoku, Aichi etc. Be prepared where ever you are in earthquake zones.

@Cortes: As MArch 11 2011 so clearly proved, disasters like Kobe will and DO happen again and again. It's part of the mechanisms of this planet. Be prepared.

Stay safe people. NO to NUCLEAR power in earthquake zones!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

The building shock for possibly 30 seconds. A few loose books and things fell down. No broken glass like in the 15 January 1995 quake. Right now JR is not running. Need to check my office. I am sure books are all over the place.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Be careful, everybody, and hope that that was it!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

NO NUC POWER in Japan! It's so stupid, scare for earthquake,tsunami and nucpower.Look at New Zealand-they have not any NUC.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Great job Japan for delivering us an early warning.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Quite a pair of tremors early this morning in Nishinomiya. Glad my keitai emergency alarm woke me up just moments before I felt the first one. Glad that from the reports I've seen on TV, that the damage seems to just be structural. Reminds that I really need to tighten up my emergency preparedness plan...And, yes, please be safe, everyone.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Some stuff got knocked over in the bathroom here in Kyoto. This was a first for me, although I was more asleep than awake during the time.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The alerts on the phones were like drive by shootings in your windows and then your home shakes a second later. Yea I'd say that got anyone up scared at 530am with the history of the 95 big one.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

that earthquake wake me up it was my first experience with that M6, i dont know what to do so i run and went to other room @-@

0 ( +1 / -1 )

People, this was nothing! If you have lived in Japan long enough you will understand. So just in case a bigger quake does strike, get your flashlights, portable radio, back pack with some food, water ready!!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Happy to hear no deaths down in Kansai!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It was only 6 on Awaji. In Kobe it was 3, and in most parts of Osaka it was a low 4. 2nd biggest I've felt.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Only 6?? 6 isn't chopped liver.....

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Without checking sources, I remember hearing magnitude is exponential. So the difference between 6 and 7 is much greater than 5 and 6, for example.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@NishiKat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richter_magnitude_scale

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@thepersoniamnow this one was a richter 6 AND a shindo 6.

Anyone who says "only a 6" is a fruitcake, maybe just trying to sound brave or something. And what the hell is a "lower 4". The shindo scale only rates intermediate levels for 5 and above.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

"earthquake alert warning (sound) on my mobile was stronger than the earthquake."

Yeah! Wasn't that something? I'd never received one of those before. It was impressive in how good and thoroughly it woke me up and freaked the hell out of my wife at 5:30 this morning. And true to it's promise, it gave us about a 20~30-second warning of the coming tremors up here in the San-In region.

Technology is cool.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Magnitude was 6, which may not seem big, but it also does not reflect how badly it shakes. The Japanese scale was lower 6, which is damn scary (I've experienced a lower 6 once, at 4 am, and hope to never experience one again). The fact that it was early in the morning probably reduced the casualties.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yes, it was about 30 km south of the Nojima fault.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Lets hope another disaster like this doesn't happen again!

Understand the sentiment and agree with the "hope" but as long as there are people living in Japan earthquakes are and will continue to be a part of life here.

The ONLY way to avoid them, is to not be here. That's the reality.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Xenomorph - Anyone who says "only a 6" is a fruitcake,

Couldn't agree more. people read or hear about 7.2 or a really big 8.0 and think a 6.0 is no big deal. They are wrong. I was in Christchurch, New Zealand, when a 6.3 hit and the city center fell down. Still clearing it up now 2 years later. A lot depends on the depth of the quake and not suprisingly how close your feet are to the epicenter. Anything above a 5 is reason for serious concern.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"An 82-year-old woman in Fukui Prefecture suffered a broken leg after she fell to the ground"

Unfortunate for the old girl, but Fukui? I just looked it was Shindo 1 up in Fukui - most people wouldn't have even felt it, so I'm guessing she panicked at the warning message service? and fell in her panic?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If I'm not mistaken, the earthquake alerts depend on the location of the epicenter, your distance from it and the time it takes for the information to be relayed over the phone networks from the meteorological agency. You could be slap bang in the middle of a large quake and only find out about it in progress; but someone a bit further away might receive notification of the approaching seismic waves. Fairly complicated stuff and definitely not 100%, but if it saves any lives then it's worth it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

we should "expect" another strong quake over the next 5-7 days.

No need to have a crystal ball. Aftershocks are nearly the rule.

Shindo 1 up in Fukui - most people wouldn't have even felt it, so I'm guessing she panicked

Probably every single morning, in Japan, 2 dozens of frail bachans fall while just walking in their bedroom, get a broken hip, go to hospital... but only on quake days, they are counted in a different statistic. I wish they stop doing it as that gives a false impression of the gravity.

On Awaji Island there are some major cracks in the ground

After Hanshin, they would show you cracks of over 20 meters. As it's less populated, they had fewer fatalities than on the coast of Kobe, but the "landscape" was more affected. The ground there is particularly prone to it. It has not gotten better after 95. Also near the epicentre, there are several places where they dig to get road filling material or whatever. So it's like in former mining regions, they are over some huge underground Swiss cheese. Nowhere is safe in Japan, but areas like that are even riskier. Now, go to explain it to the Tokyo old farts that have decided to rebuilds towns that already got 3 tsunamis...

People need to check their homes for heavy furniture like cupboards which could fall over

People living in Japan should not own such furniture. If something is high and likely to fall, fix it to the wall/ceilling, they have all the equipment for that in Konan. Also, it's never 100% as even a small object can fly around and hurt you. But I think most people in Kansai understand the heavy furniture thing. . What worries me is when they still have so many alt-modish oil heaters, Paloma water heaters (I don't use mine)... as they are known to explode and take fire when submitted to shock. My mansion has alarms for fire... That would ring. Like my oven rings when the roast is nearly done.

someone a bit further away might receive notification of the approaching seismic waves.

OK. And then ? You do what if you are told there will be a quake in 10 minutes ? I would stay in my futon as that's probably the safest place to be in Osaka. Also, if I'm unlucky, they'll find my bones more easily later. Outside, buildings may collapse even if they only swing, objects would fly away from verandas and there would be suffocating dust. The empty flat places risk instant flooding at the first wave or when the dam cracks. If you have the means, learn how to pilot, buy an helicopter and keep it always ready for a couple of hours, it should be parked on the roof of your mansion (top floor of a high rise). You are not allowed to fly over the city usually, but in case of alert, you'd be able to go and apologize later if you did it for nothing.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I just now checked my keitai for the time of the warning email that came was time stamped at 5:33 am (same time as the quake) and I can assume it was sent the same time as the alarm started. Wow! That's fast. As someone earlier stated this tech is cool. I just hope it's never needed, but it might be hoping for too much in this earthquake zone. Take care people!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Agree, i grew up in an earthquake area and have been thru several. they are terrifying no matter how big or small and trauma is a result for anyone, either injury or psychological stress. Thank you for reminding us to take them seriously and for advising, politely that people stop making jokes about serious topics that deeply affect people and communities. I am grateful to JT for the good coverage of this, and for sharing the details so well.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I just went around and secured my china cabinets by putting those wedge things under them, and chained our grandfather clock to the wall. Good timing.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I did it last week, I meant to say...really in the nick of time...the grandfather clock could have tipped yesterday.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Everyone, as many of you know, maybe some of us don't, the concept of: Pre-quake is now well established.

Zichi: Stay strong. You have been for us up in the Knato / Tohoku region. Keep it tight brother.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Nothing since yesterday, according to the JMA. Hoping it was a one-off....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Himajin, you simply can not approach the natural phenomena of this planet in such a way, I am not trying to diss you or 'have a go' but really, it wasn't, as any process in nature,a 'one off'.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Himajin, you simply can not approach the natural phenomena of this planet in such a way

Meaning, not a quake that sets off a series of aftershocks and other quakes....the '95 quake, the house rattled numerous times over the week following....so far today there havent been any that I could feel, so as I said, I'm hoping that yesterday was 'it' and there won't others triggered by yesterday's

Yes, Zichi, I know, but Kansai has been fairly quite of late...I'm hoping it's an isolated incident and we're not heading into another active period like we had '95-98.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When I was first here, the first 3 years or so and lived in Kato-shi, we had one or two that were strong enough to shut off our gas heater, and then none for years..it's this kind of pattern I was calling a 'one off'.

There were two in Nishiwaki 8 years ago, and then nothing shaking up there for 7 years..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My daughter just moved to Takahashi. Anybody know how far the epicenter is from there?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My daughter just moved to Takahashi. Anybody know how far the epicenter is from there?

Far. Over 200 km. No need to worry in advance. Injuries in quakes are statistically less likely than in car accidents and you are not afraid of being in a car or in a street where cars pass. Well I hope for you.

I'm hoping that yesterday was 'it' and there won't others triggered by yesterday's

Yep, crossed fingers.

Everyone, as many of you know, maybe some of us don't, the concept of: Pre-quake is now well established.

Talked like a quack doctor. The conclusion of the scientific community after the communicative mess in L'Aquila is unanimous : "There is no prediction at this day. There is no plot, not hidden data. Just no way to tell. There are the tectonic maps indicating prone areas, but not a hint about timing, or whether it's going into more or less intense.". Experts will still try to draw conclusions from monitoring frequency and evolution, it's just research, fruitless so far. They admit that the number of times they predicted it right is not more than if they had rolled some dices. So we got a 6. If we roll again, are there more or less chances to get a 6 or a 1 ?

I don't think the politician I was speaking with meant aftershocks, but a possible strong or powerful quake.

It's always possible. I'm not the least surprised that the ** (censored) from Kobe City still dare spreading nonsense hoaxes. They have reached the bottom of incompetence before 95 when they were chanting that quake preparation was useless for Kobe and it was better to have an airport than hospitals or rebuilding schools. Then in 95 and post 95. And, if someone wonders, that was the same persons, The mayor and his buddies have been "in charge", sitting at desks and receiving paychecks since the 60's. Them and Fidel Castro, nobody understands how they could last.

just stay a little more alert when one has just happened.

The contrary would be a million time more useful. That's when nothing happens that people should think more about it. Forget prediction and alerts. On a list of effective measures they had collected from observing disaster over the world, telling people to prepare their bag was the least. Building quality makes the most significant difference for casualties, if you live in a bad place, think about moving to safer. There was a lot of progress done in checking grounds, long term stats and mapping the most risky areas, and it is ignored by politicians, they even force people to rebuild in the bad areas (for fear of losing budget in that circumscription). Also, the system of insurances and funding victims when they need to rebuild is essential (and it's still prehistoric level in Japan, roughly if you are a victim, you count on your personal savings and help from relatives living in unaffected areas). We could technically develop more medical rescue infrastructures and teams... but if you take Kobe, they have less physicians than in 94 and their ER services can't even deal with a big traffic accident on a week day. And it's not particularly Kobe, isn't it ? Also we know nuke plants...

Kansai Electric Power said there was nothing untoward at its Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, currently the only one in Japan with reactors online.

I wish the surrounding wall and tiles had fallen there and even that a plant employee on duty to chase the rats had his hip broken instead of a bachan... The TVs would have shown that, asked about rodents, etc. . People need a reminder. On a scale where I fear a NK missile at a strength of 1, I'd worry about the Oi plant getting quake issues at a strength of 600.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

laylalair, which Takahashi? Which prefecture, I mean? There is a Takahashi city in Okayama, Shizuoka, Aichi, and Miyagi Prefectures. All are far from Saturday's quake, Okayama is the closest at 158 kilometers (@100 miles). There, it was a 2 or a 3.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites