 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Fear Then Relief As Japan Quake Causes Little Damage
Sendai, Japan (AFP) Aug 16, 2005 The hospital shook as expectant mother Eri Sawaki lay in bed Tuesday, one week before she was due to give birth. Hooked up to a machine examining her baby's heart, all she could do was wait as the earthquake that registered 7.2 on the Richter scale rattled the city of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture, some 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Tokyo. "The earthquake was pretty strong and very long. Naturally, I was a bit afraid, but not that afraid because my husband was with me in the room," she said. "Maybe because we, the people in Sendai, are always told that 'the big one' will come someday, we are more used to earthquakes than people in other communities," the 33-year-old said. Sendai is particularly prone to earthquakes, with a huge jolt in 1978 killing 28 people. Tuesday's quake in the ocean off the city's coastline was so strong that it shook skyscrapers in Tokyo. But residents here sighed relief as the massive quake caused little physical damage and no deaths, although around 50 people across the country were injured. "When I looked outside, I saw small cars bouncing like they were on a trampoline," said Masaya Ito, 24, a car salesman who was at his house in Sendai when the earthquake hit. "I immediately got up to hold onto a cabinet drawer to make sure it would not fall. The quake continued for a very long time and it was very, very strong. "Later I saw on television that it was not 'the big one.' But I'm afraid that we'll have to experience the real big one sometime." After the earthquake, Japan's meterological agency issued a tsunami alert which was lifted after three waves around 10 centimeters (four inches) high hit the coast. Ito's sister, Chika, 18, was fishing at a port near Sendai when the ground started to shake. "I was so afraid. When I looked at the ocean, I could tell the tide was pulling back. I put on my car radio and heard that there was a tsunami warning. A police car also came to the port to tell us about the tsunami warning." Eiji Kikuchi, who was at a gas station where he worked, said motorists pulled off the road when the quake struck as they could not drive straight. "I barely managed to stand. It felt like things were going to fall. When I tried to get out of the store, the quake stopped. "It would have been more scary if the store's glass had shattered. I'm worried that another big one will hit." Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Tectonic Science and News
UN Criticises India Refusal To Share Data On Low Magnitude Quakes
Hyderabad, India (AFP) Dec 16, 2005India said Friday it would not share information on earthquakes below a magnitude of six on the Richter scale due to security concerns, drawing criticism from the United Nations. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
