LIFE> Odds and Ends
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LIFE> Odds and Ends
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Earthquakes shake Tokyo area, Indian Ocean
Updated: 2009-08-11 09:09
TOKYO – A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 hit Tokyo and nearby areas shortly after dawn Tuesday, halting trains and forcing two nuclear reactors to be shut down for safety checks. The U.S. Geological Survey said another, unrelated quake with a 7.6 magnitude hit the Indian Ocean about 160 miles (257 kilometers) north of Port Blair in India's Andaman Islands. A tsunami watch was called for India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh. The caution was later lifted without any tsunami being recorded. The Andaman Islands quake was reported to be 20.6 miles (33.15 kilometers) deep, the U.S. Geological Survey said. On Dec. 26, 2004, about 230,000 people were killed in a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a tsunami. In the Japan quake, there were no immediate reports of serious damages or injury, although a boy was reportedly hurt when a TV fell on his leg and three elderly people were hurt slightly when they were hit by falling objects or slipped and fell. Japan's Meteorological Agency also issued a tsunami warning from the Japanese temblor early Tuesday, which centered off the Suruga Bay, southwest of Tokyo. The warning was also later lifted. The quake occurred at a depth of 12 miles (20 kilometers). Public broadcaster NHK said a small increase of waves of some 10 inches (30 centimeters) was observed along the coastline of Yaizu City. Central Japan Railway Co. has suspended operations of Shinkansen bullet trains, while the central government set up a task force at the prime minister's office, Kyodo reported. The quake rattled furniture and walls, and broke show windows and ceramic roof tiles on older homes. But there have been no immediate reports of serious damages or casualties. |
