Early this morning (12:46 am Eastern Standard Time), a magnitude 8.9 earthquake occurred near the east coast of Japan. Devastating tsunamis have apparently resulted in hundreds of deaths, although only preliminary reports of the destruction and fatalities have so far arrived. A tsunami warning is in effect for California north of Point Conception, a spot between San Francisco and Los Angeles, to the Washington border, with the biggest waves (7.9 feet) expected to hit Crescent City, California. One of the biggest dangers could come from waters surging up coastal rivers.
The earthquake was the result of thrust faulting near the boundary of the Pacific Plate and the Okhotsk Plate to the west. The boundary between the Okhotsk Plate and the Pacific Plate is a subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate is thrust beneath the Okhotsk. Many strong earthquakes have occurred here, including some of the largest on record, such as the Kamchatka earthquakes of 1737 (estimated M 9.0~9.3) and 1952 (M 9.0). Nine quakes of magnitude 7 or greater have occurred here since 1973. The largest of these was an M 7.8 earthquake in December 1994 approximately 160 miles (260 km) to the north of the current epicenter, which caused 3 fatalities and almost 700 injuries. In June of 1978, a M 7.7 earthquake 22 miles (35 km) to the southwest caused 22 fatalities and over 400 injuries. According to the US Geological Survey, the location, depth, and focal mechanism of this morning's earthquake are consistent with the event having occurred as thrust faulting associated with subduction along this plate boundary.
The earthquake was the result of thrust faulting near the boundary of the Pacific Plate and the Okhotsk Plate to the west. The boundary between the Okhotsk Plate and the Pacific Plate is a subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate is thrust beneath the Okhotsk. Many strong earthquakes have occurred here, including some of the largest on record, such as the Kamchatka earthquakes of 1737 (estimated M 9.0~9.3) and 1952 (M 9.0). Nine quakes of magnitude 7 or greater have occurred here since 1973. The largest of these was an M 7.8 earthquake in December 1994 approximately 160 miles (260 km) to the north of the current epicenter, which caused 3 fatalities and almost 700 injuries. In June of 1978, a M 7.7 earthquake 22 miles (35 km) to the southwest caused 22 fatalities and over 400 injuries. According to the US Geological Survey, the location, depth, and focal mechanism of this morning's earthquake are consistent with the event having occurred as thrust faulting associated with subduction along this plate boundary.
This morning's earthquake was preceded by a series of large foreshocks over the previous two days, beginning on March 9th with an M 7.2 event approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) from this morning's earthquake, and continuing with a further 3 earthquakes greater than M 6 on the same day.President Obama said the United States was ready to help Japan with any assistance. "Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the people of Japan,” he said in a statement.
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