. 24/7 Space News .
SHAKE AND BLOW
Landslides leave dozens missing after quake hits Japan's Hokkaido
By Kyoko HASEGAWA
Tokyo (AFP) Sept 6, 2018

A powerful 6.6-magnitude quake rocked the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido Thursday, killing two people, collapsing homes, and triggering landslides that left dozens missing.

Multiple, large-scale landslides struck the sparsely populated countryside, which was also hit by the edge of a powerful typhoon that surged through Japan earlier this week.

Aerial views showed dozens of houses destroyed at the bottom of a hill that was engulfed by a landslide, with a rescue helicopter winching a resident to safety.

Around three million homes lost power after the quake damaged a major thermal plant supplying the region.

The Tomari nuclear power plant in Hokkaido, which was not operational before the quake, was forced to turn to emergency back-up power to keep its cooling system working, NHK said.

Kazuo Kibayashi, 51, a town official at hard-hit Abira town, told AFP: "There was a sudden, extreme jolt. I felt it went sideways, not up-and-down, for about two to three minutes."

"It stopped before shaking started again. I felt it come in two waves. I am 51, and I have never experienced anything like this. I thought my house was going to collapse. Everything inside my house was all jumbled up. I didn't have time to even start cleaning," he added.

Moments after the initial quake, an aftershock measuring 5.3 rocked the area and dozens more aftershocks followed throughout the night and into the morning.

Akira Fukui, from the main city of Sapporo, told AFP: "I woke up around 3am with a vertical jolt. I put the light on but it went out shortly afterwards. All the traffic lights are out and there's no power at work."

No tsunami warning was issued after the relatively shallow quake, which struck 62 kilometres (39 miles) southeast of the regional capital Sapporo.

Around 20,000 rescue workers, including police and members of the Self-Defence Forces were responding to the disaster, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said. Another 20,000 SDF troops are expected to join the effort.

"We will do our best to save lives," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after an emergency cabinet meeting.

Suga said two people had been killed, with local media reporting around 40 were missing.

Local media said the dead included an 82-year-old man who fell down the stairs at his home during the quake and that around 130 people had sustained minor injuries.

"I urge people in areas shaken by strong quakes to stay calm, pay attention to evacuation information... and help each other," Suga added.

Japan is still recovering from the worst typhoon to hit the country in 25 years, which struck the western part of the country on Tuesday, claiming at least 11 lives and causing major damage to the region's main airport.

- 'Ring of fire' -

Officials warned of the danger of fresh quakes.

"Large quakes often occur, especially within two to three days (of a big one)," said Toshiyuki Matsumori, in charge of monitoring earthquakes and tsunamis at the meteorological agency.

The risk of housing collapses and landslides had increased, he said, urging residents "to pay full attention to seismic activity and rainfall and not to go into dangerous areas."

The earthquake also caused travel disruption, with all flights cancelled from Sapporo's main Chitose airport, where the quake brought down part of a ceiling and burst a water pipe. Local buses and trains and bullet train services were halted.

Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko said it would take "at least a week" for power to be restored to nearly three million homes after a fire in the area's largest thermal plant was discovered.

And the national meteorological agency warned that more bad weather could be on the way for Hokkaido, urging people to be vigilant for landslides, high tides and heavy rain.

Japan sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where many of the world's earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are recorded.

In June, a deadly tremor rocked the Osaka region, killing five people and injuring over 350.

On March 11, 2011, a devastating 9.0-magnitude quake struck under the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and claimed thousands of lives.


Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


SHAKE AND BLOW
OK computer: How AI could help forecast quake aftershocks
Tokyo (AFP) Aug 29, 2018
Lightning might not strike twice, but earthquakes can. And forecasting where aftershocks will hit might now be a little easier thanks to an assist from artificial intelligence. Aftershocks can be more destructive than the quakes they follow, making it all the more important for experts to be able to predict them. But while seismologists have methods to forecast when aftershocks will hit and how strong they will be, there is more uncertainty about how to predict where they will strike. Hoping ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SHAKE AND BLOW
Star Gosling took flying lessons for new astronaut film

Heat shield install brings Orion spacecraft closer to space

For first time in decades, astronaut quits NASA training

Students experience the power of controlling satellites in space

SHAKE AND BLOW
India readies baby rockets to tap small satellites' market

Space launch training cooperation

Commercial Spaceports 2018

Chinese private space company to launch first carrier rocket

SHAKE AND BLOW
NASA's InSight passes halfway to Mars, instruments check in

Six Things About Opportunity'S Recovery Efforts

The Science Team Continues to Listen for Opportunity as Storm Diminishes

Planet-Encircling Dust Storm of Mars shows signs of slowing

SHAKE AND BLOW
China unveils Chang'e-4 rover to explore Moon's far side

China's SatCom launch marketing not limited to business interest

China to launch space station Tiangong in 2022, welcomes foreign astronauts

China solicits international cooperation experiments on space station

SHAKE AND BLOW
The world's lowest-cost global communications network

Successful capital raising sees Kleos Space Launch on the ASX

Artwork unveiled on exoplanet satellite

Three top Russian space industry execs held for 'fraud'

SHAKE AND BLOW
A new way to remove ice buildup without power or chemicals

Researchers use acoustic forces to print droplets that couldn't be printed before

New smart materials could open new research field

Kiel research team increases adhesiveness of silicone using the example of beetles

SHAKE AND BLOW
Rutgers scientists identify protein that may have existed when life began

Scientist develops database for stellar-exoplanet "exploration"

Infant exoplanet weighed by Hipparcos and Gaia

Infant exoplanet weighed by Hipparcos and Gaia

SHAKE AND BLOW
New Horizons makes first detection of Kuiper Belt flyby target

Deep inside the Great Red Spot hints at water on Jupiter

Jupiter had growth disorders

Study helps solve mystery under Jupiter's coloured bands









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.