Earthquake and Tsunami Jolt Japan

A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake–the strongest in Japan in 140 years–struck 81 miles
(130 kilometers) off the coast of Sendai at 2:46 p.m. The number of casualties has not been confirmed.

Sendai, a city of about a million residents, was hit by tsunami
waves up to 33 feet (10 meters) high. Tsunami warnings were quickly
issued for many Pacific Coast regions, including Hawaii, the Philippines, and Mexico.

The earthquake and its aftershocks were felt as far away asTokyo, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) from the epicenter.

See more photos and learn more at National Geographic News.

Learn more about Japan .

Photograph by Keichi Nakane, Yomiuri Shimbun/AP

Comments

cicif44
March 11, 2011, 9:23 pm

What can we do to help?
Cheeseman
March 12, 2011, 1:17 am

those tsunami waves are going to hit vancouver island and might destroy reefs in Tofino.
Dragon
March 12, 2011, 8:41 am

Wow!. I didn’t know that!!!
chinapro2000
March 12, 2011, 4:07 pm

Wow! That’s terrible. I hope that lots of people jump in and help those poor people. It’s a miracle that one of the boats that was swept away by the tsunami was found — all people on it alive! One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded on earth and a tsunami, and also that radiation leak happening somewhere around there are creating a lot of difficulties for the Japanese people. I hope that they recover quickly.
Zmx4
March 12, 2011, 7:30 pm

WOW! WHAT A OUT RAGE~! O_O Lets Help Japan! Comment a “Yes”.

Wow i am sorry for japan.
Zmx4
March 12, 2011, 7:30 pm

WOW!
vannalove101
March 13, 2011, 5:02 pm

That earthquake looks pretty bad. We should do something about it.
alexbrulz
March 14, 2011, 12:10 pm

i think this is terrible….!!!!!!!!!! We need to do something. this will mess with everyone because most countries rely on Japan for recources
tandre98
March 14, 2011, 3:49 pm

Can I help children who have suffered the disaster?
surf2000
March 14, 2011, 6:31 pm

wow thats so sad!
mochachino121
March 14, 2011, 8:02 pm

it moved Japan 8 feet!!!! ITS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!! it also hit a nuclear power plan.
sherlockhomies
March 14, 2011, 8:51 pm

This looks SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. We got to HELP immidetly! =(
sherlockhomies
March 14, 2011, 8:52 pm

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP LIKE RIGHT NOW!!!
alexbrulz
March 15, 2011, 12:02 pm

it moved hawaii 8 feet not japan. Also yes. This is one of the life changing problems. if you add 9/11/01
and 3/10/11 it equals 12/21/12 when the myans predicted the world to end! isn’t that weird. and im sorry for Japan
didi88
March 15, 2011, 8:28 pm

It does look bad hey have you seen the mircale story’s? there awesome!!!!!!!
larane
March 16, 2011, 8:32 am

WOW thats a really bad disaster! like what “ciciif” can we help
sherlockhomies
March 17, 2011, 5:32 pm

I think we should help since it hit one of the united states states Hawaii. I think its really bad by the pictures I think its worse in the real world. Please Help. Im begging everyone out there to help Japan and the rest of the World. THANK YOU!
sherlockhomies
March 17, 2011, 5:36 pm

I actually found a way to help the people in Japan, I read that thousands of people are missing or dead after a powerful earthquake and tsunami shattered much of Japan last Friday. Now a nuclear disaster threatens the health of survivors.
If your family would like to help, here are some organizations your parents can contact to do something for the people of Japan. Donations can be small. Please visit the websites of the organizations listed to find out more about their relief efforts in Japan. THANK YOU!
lulu9green
March 20, 2011, 4:11 pm

what sort of plate boundary was it
laima
March 21, 2011, 5:08 pm

that is sad
didi88
March 23, 2011, 6:38 pm

Did you know those workers in the nuclear plant wrote letters to there children and said they would never come back so sad!
sherlockhomies
March 25, 2011, 3:57 pm

I wonder how they are doing now since its been about a month??
-
cool625
March 27, 2011, 5:38 am

Wow!!!!
I never knew that…
I want to know some more information about nuclear reactor explosion..
Did anything happen to Tokyo??
sherlockhomies
March 29, 2011, 5:26 pm

I also am wondering how far the techtonic plates shifted. But I know that Japan does not have the same shape it used to have before.
Thank You for reading!
sherlockhomies
April 2, 2011, 5:31 pm

Wow! That’s terrible. I hope that lots of people jump in and help those poor people. It’s a miracle that one of the boats that was swept away by the tsunami was found — all people on it alive! One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded on earth and a tsunami, and also that radiation leak happening somewhere around there are creating a lot of difficulties for the Japanese people. I hope that they recover quickly. I also am wondering how far the techtonic plates shifted. But I know that Japan does not have the same shape it used to have before. I wonder how they are doing now since its been about a month??
I think we should help since it hit one of the united states states Hawaii. I think its really bad by the pictures I think its worse in the real world. Please Help. Im begging everyone out there to help Japan and the rest of the World.I actually found a way to help the people in Japan, I read that thousands of people are missing or dead after a powerful earthquake and tsunami shattered much of Japan last Friday. Now a nuclear disaster threatens the health of survivors.
If your family would like to help, here are some organizations your parents can contact to do something for the people of Japan. Donations can be small. Please visit the websites of the organizations listed to find out more about their relief efforts in Japan.CATANDUANES, PHILIPPINES—In response to the threat of tsunamis resulting from the 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan, the international humanitarian organization Action Against Hunger | ACF International has launched emergency measures with local and national authorities to help more than 45,000 people evacuate from at-risk areas of Catanduanes, an island province of the Philippines.

Highly prone to natural disasters, the Philippines has worked to prioritize a series of risk management projects, and the current evacuations were made possible by the early warning systems that Action Against Hunger installed last year as part of this broader natural disaster prevention framework. “Action Against Hunger worked closely with the populations in the villages and barangays, installing radios and signal repeaters and preparing evacuation plans in the case of typhoons, tsunamis and other natural disasters, which made today’s warnings possible,” states Manila Suresh Murugesu, Action Against Hunger’s Water & Sanitation Coordinator in the Philippines.

Thank you!
mym3lody
September 9, 2011, 3:17 pm

Wow i cant belive that happend! 8.9 is a HUGE earthquke! My friend moved JApan,and just moved back there!!! I really want to help!
sle
October 3, 2011, 3:46 pm

I didn’t know it was a 8.9 earthquake and it was the strongest in jupan in 140 years
ashleyluv
January 7, 2012, 5:04 pm

thats so sad and it was powerful enough to release all the products in all the trucks! how are they gonna clean that mess up?! i wish i could go and help.
nushe5
February 1, 2012, 3:28 pm

In school were learning about japan that’s why i came to this site. Anyway about that it’s frighting and sad.
Jillmin21
February 8, 2012, 7:28 am

noe japan is recovering tremendously so be thankful and happy although they are still having problems, they can be solved:)
girlpower2
March 28, 2012, 2:39 pm

that is so horrible i am doing a story about this that y i came to this website
oceangirl15
May 11, 2012, 9:23 am

Wow! A 8.9 magnitude earthquake? That’s powerful! Glad I wasn’t there when it happend! I feel sorry for the Japanese people who lost their homes or lost realitives/friends. I wonder how Japan’s recovered since then. It’s kinda no wonder it triggered a tsunami. That was pretty strong!
mancheese
October 8, 2012, 1:38 pm

that is horrible.