Huge Earthquake hits Japan - Tsunamis strike, 8.8 M - NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN Options

[KernowKid]

Updates ....

The Fukushima Daiichi No.2 reactor experienced a further explosion last night (UK time) which has resulted in a further evacuation.

The Nikkei 225 index closed a further 10.55pct down overnight. European markets have opened significantly weaker in reaction,

Seismicity in the 24hours to 23:59:59 on 14-Nar-2011 (GMT)

60 aftershocks of which FOUR were M6.0 and greater.

and ...

It seems that the 'religious' YT clip posted last night was a hoax in utterly bad taste.

[jeffjones]

I had a look at her channel and it is unbalanced to say the least, anyway...

That image of the girl sitting there is heartbreaking and it makes me want to go and give her a big hug, she just looks so lonely. Sometimes there is justification for intrusion on people's grief and I think as a way of telling the story of the Japanese people and how this disaster has affected them that picture says more than any articleever could.

I've just seen another picture in the paper of a man in Sendai, spotlessly dressed in a suit on his way to work. Apparently this is happening all over the affected area. Whether this is because they are still in shock or their way of coping you have to have a huge admiration for them and for those doom mongers who are predicting the end of the world it's a big eff off. They've chosen to live.

[roobs]

2012

oh fuck off

It's the Nuclear meltdown that I'm worried about at this point, that will effect the whole planet.

Who the hell has the brilliant idea of building a nuclear power plant right on the coast in a dangerous area?

are you two daily mail readers?

This post has been edited by roobs: Mar 15 2011, 17:24

[Roger Mellie]

2012

scary point, but possibly true

Isn't it 2011 this year

Unfortunately this sort of thing demonstrates people have been taught what to think, not how to think. Could it be that in the age of the internet, social networking, satellites, international phonecalls and 24-hour rolling news, we get to hear about these horrible disasters from across the world instantly and more frequently-- so such disasters appear to be happening more frequently? As opposed to days of yore; where by the time the news of a disaster from the other sode of the globe had reached us, it wasn't news, so it seldom made print.

People have been predicting the end of the world since year dot (easy for ancient prophets to say the world will end in 2012, when they will die centuries before that); we all suppose to be wiped out on NYE 1999, strangely enough we're still here typing Besides earthquakes/tsunamis have been occurring constantly for millions of years. Whatever year it is now, was, will be, is irrelevant to the flux of plate tectonics. Plus, to misquote Mark Twain, reports of the planet's total obliteration have been greatly exaggerated.

I am told by my former geologist colleagues, that it is true that earthquakes are bit like busses. One sharp shift on a plate can cause a knock-on effect; not just after shocks, but quakes elsewhere (in the case of the former, there have been hundreds of aftershocks in Japan)

Yes the wisdom of building nuclear power stations in an area of heavy quake/tsunami activity is beyond me; that is what is unsafe, not nuvclear power per se: However I just admire the bravery and resolve of the survivors in Japan, I can't imagine how I would cope in such as situation. The images I've seen, are beyond grim belief. Now we have snow and freezing temperatures to add into the mix.

This post has been edited by Roger Mellie: Aug 8 2011, 11:34

[Dark_ph0enix]

Everyone should take a few mins to checkout the USGS data - there have been literally hundreds of earthquakes since the 'big one' last week - most of which have occured in the same region, but also a number of smaller quakes in California - and even a wee-small one in the UK. They're not that uncommon.

Of course, a quake like this one, combined with the Tsunami that it triggered, are extremly rare, and obviously, quite horrific in temrs o the devistation caused.

And with recgards teh newspapers - piss poor reporting by some of them, to say the very least. IT's also extremly insensiveite, both to the people who died, and Japan as a country.

[John84]

I am told by my former geologist colleagues, that it is true that earthquakes are bit like busses. One sharp shift on a plate can cause a knock-on effect; not just after shocks, but quakes elsewhere.

Everyone should take a few mins to checkout the USGS data - there have been literally hundreds of earthquakes since the 'big one' last week - most of which have occured in the same region, but also a number of smaller quakes in California - and even a wee-small one in the UK. They're not that uncommon.

This is the case. Without even having studied tectonic science (though I have), it's to be expected that a large incident like this will be bracketed by multiple quakes in the area directly affected, as well as in surrounding plates. And like DP says, earthquakes aren't exactly uncommon; depending on the geological province you are in (and therefore crust thickness/age/stability), and the proximity of plate boundaries to your location, they're just more noticeable than not. Japan straddles plate boundaries at a subduction point, which means earthquakes can occur both deep and relatively shallow, depending on where in that benioff zone the quake occurs (typically the shallower the quake, the more devastating the result). We in the UK, meanwhile, are relatively distant from major boundaries (Iceland is an example of a nearish one, but even then it's a 'constructive' boundary in that the relative plate movement is in opposite directions to one another, leading primarily to igneous intrusion rather than friction). However the planetary mantle is not a particularly solid thing, so extremely deep earthquakes will occur (at the sort of depths associated with the mohorovicic discontinuity, so very very deep) and will infrequently be noticeable.

[KernowKid]

Some thoughts ....

Tokyo has a population of 13M in the centre and in the metropolitan area 35M there are already shortages of everything there and people are leaving. If the population becomes restless what are the repercussions for the current order in Japan?

The Government currently has sympathy, the widespread calls for the ministers and officials to rest on Twitter show this.

One major problem is the historic habit of Japanese Government officials and key business leaders when things go wrong of compounding the issues by committing seppuku or ritual suicide, numbers have in the past. I do hope that care is being taken to protect their mental states, which must be near breaking. Key personnel if lost will be hard to replace.

The Japanese psyche also will be in pieces, the sight of US Officials effectively taking over Tokyo Electric Power's nuclear division tomorrow will be galling.

I note that Russia could with it's statements since Friday be seeking a much higher influence. The only short term solution to Japan's power needs seems to be fossil fuels, predominately imported Gas from Russia. What will this do to the balance of power in the region?

[BillyBuddSailor]

are you two daily mail readers?

The which?

[ladsnet]

There was a guy on TV last night who said he suspected the nuclear problem is far far worse than was being stated. Starting to seem true now.

He said the 'honour' system is still very much ingrained in the Japanese thinking.. and so when it comes to a disaster like this, there is always a degree of "this makes us look incompetant so lets try to dress it up a bit" in action. They think admitting something has failed is dishonourable to those who built it and the japanese nation.

[KernowKid]

Ten minutes into trading on the Japanese Stock Exchange the Nikkei 225 index has gained 3.68pct on the close yesterday.

[Parsifal]

Japan Nuclear Workers Abandon Stricken Plant

"A U.S. nuclear expert said he feared the worst."

[KernowKid]

Stats for the 24 hours to
23:59:59GMT / 15 Mar 2011 -

47 Aftershocks recorded by the USGS in the 10-degree Centered area at 40°N, 140°E

THREE of which were M6.0 or greater.

[Parsifal]

Japan Prepares to Send Workers Back in Plant After Evacuating

[x2k]

Ten minutes into trading on the Japanese Stock Exchange the Nikkei 225 index has gained 3.68pct on the close yesterday.

I'm finding your regular updates on the Nikkei really quite vulgar. Once or maybe twice to make a point that it's been affected one way or the other is a reasonable association, but the actual point changes on an ongoing basis is too much. Please don't detract from the actual event that this post is about.

[KernowKid]

Ten minutes into trading on the Japanese Stock Exchange the Nikkei 225 index has gained 3.68pct on the close yesterday.

I'm finding your regular updates on the Nikkei really quite vulgar. Once or maybe twice to make a point that it's been affected one way or the other is a reasonable association, but the actual point changes on an ongoing basis is too much. Please don't detract from the actual event that this post is about.

However it's a critical part of the story.
The Country's ability to recover from this depends on the performance of the Japanese equity markets. Today, Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) lost 25% of it's stock market valuation. The ability of the sector to recover to fund the clean up and new either Nuclear, Gas or Coal fired stations, and those quickly, will be impacted by the Markets.
Equity investment is also a key savings vehicle for the Japanese, so the value of these is critical to the ability of resources for the Individual survivors to rebuild their lives.
The Global impact of an ailing Japanese Market is already massive and the effects on the already weakened Global economy could well set back recovery in the short to medium term.

As far as I'm concerned I consider it to be a major part of the story and as such have devoted posts to it.

EDIT ....

It's also a good barometer as to how sentiment is, if the Nikkei closes down despite encouraging words from Government sources then the degree of belief in what those sources have said can be judged on a daily basis. Not exact science, but it certainly helps understanding. With the increasing reports, today of lack of trust in Government and TEPCO statements amongst the population, guidance is useful.




This post has been edited by KernowKid: Mar 16 2011, 19:28

[x2k]

As far as I'm concerned I consider it to be a major part of the story and as such have devoted posts to it.

The effect is a part of the story, but rolling updates on the stock exchange is insensitive in the least. If anyone was interested in that level of detail (for monitoring stocks & shares for example), they would look it up themselves.

While I'm tired of 24/7 news coverage on TV/radio/t'internet, I'm still very aware that this is very much a humanitarian disaster where tens of thousands of people have died.

However relevant you consider it, I'm telling you that I don't. I'm therefore asking you to please stop the stockmarket reports in this post as, if no other reason, a mark of respect.

[darker_phoenix]

It's not disrespectful at all, you're being way harsh.

[jumbler]

It's not disrespectful at all, you're being way harsh.

I disagree, actually. Having a daily (or even hourly) financial update is just finger-pointing; a bit like having your work or computer use monitored. Besides which, making constant negative remarks about the state of the country's finances is only likely to destablise confidence and inhibit Japan's and Japanese companies' ability to recover lost capacity, and economic growth.

Rather than finger-pointing, I think we just need to let Japanese folks get on with the recovery effort, and giving as much help (financial, and practical) as we can.

And has anyone not noticed the scale of the disaster zone?? We're talking hundreds of square miles here. That's just the area that was flattened by the tsunami. With ½-million odd survivors in freezing, snowy conditions, and their relatives dead, it's a really grim situation.

[ladsnet]

I'm sure if people want to keep upto date with the stock markets, they can check news sites or install ticker widgets etc etc etc.

The purpose of a discussion forum is to discuss things. If we feel the need for a news feed.. I'll install one.

[Kev]

I note that Russia could with it's statements since Friday be seeking a much higher influence. The only short term solution to Japan's power needs seems to be fossil fuels, predominately imported Gas from Russia. What will this do to the balance of power in the region?

I don't see Russia and Japan making nice soon.