Quake
5:23 pm: A few minutes ago, there was a fair-sized quake here in Tokyo. No big details, except that it seems to have been centered real close to where I live, in Kanagawa, where it was a 4 on the Japanese scale.
5:26 pm: Now they’re saying that the epicenter was at the north tip of Tokyo Bay, around what looks like just at Yatsu Higata Salt Flats, though the strongest affected areas were in Kanagawa. Magnitude now reported at 4.8 on the Richter scale.
5:30 pm: HiNet is reporting it as a 4.7 (update: the same page now says 4.8). They’re now saying no danger of tsunami. Coordinates of the quake epicenter are 140.1E, 35.6N, just at Chiba Port Park.
5:37 pm: Now HiNet is saying 5.2, on the same page where another panel says 4.7. The epicenter is also given as a bit different, 140.024E by 35.632N, more in line with what I’ve seen on TV. Trains are stopped, at least the bullet train service.
Felt the quake you mentioned out here in Karuizawa. Thanks for the heads up. The estate agent swore blind there were no quakes in this area, but hey what else is new? Combination of quakes and living in the shadow of an active volcano, but I guess that just part of life’s rich pattern. Heading back to Kanagawa tomorrow (Friday). Never drive on a weekend or date ending in “0” or “5”.
these people have info on japan earthquakes:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world.php?regionID=15®ion=Japan
and their hazard map shows japan as being at risk:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/japan/gshap.php