Osaka earthquake: three people dead after 6.1-magnitude tremor

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Three people have died and more than 200 others were injured after a powerful earthquake shook the Japanese coastal city of Osaka and nearby areas during the morning rush hour on Monday.

The victims were named as Rina Miyake, a 9-year-old girl, and Minoru Yasui, an 80-year-old man, who died when they were hit by collapsing walls after the magnitude-6.1 quake struck just before 8am local time, media said. A second man, Motochika Goto, 85, was crushed by a falling bookcase at his home.

The quake, which did not trigger a tsunami, left more than 170,000 households without power in Osaka prefecture and neighbouring Hyogo prefecture, where an earthquake killed more than 6,400 people in the city of Kobe in January 1995.

Monday’s earthquake was of a relatively low magnitude but caused violent shaking due to its shallow depth of 13km. It registered up to a lower-6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 0 to 7. Quakes of a lower-6 intensity make it hard for people to stay on their feet and can topple unsecured furniture and other items.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/18/osaka-earthquake-japan-61-magnitude-tremor

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Sounds as if good building engineering largely did its job.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

1. Note that USGS shows this quake a magnitude 5.3 on our scale.....

at a depth of 15.3km. As the article says, the 6.1 number is from a unique Japanese measuring scale.

See: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/#%7B%22autoUpdate%22%3A%5B%22autoUpdate%22%5D%2C%22basemap%22%3A%22street%22%2C%22feed%22%3A%221day_m25%22%2C%22listFormat%22%3A%22default%22%2C%22mapposition%22%3A%5B%5B33.27084277265288%2C-226.3897705078125%5D%2C%5B36.10681461011844%2C-222.5225830078125%5D%5D%2C%22overlays%22%3A%5B%22plates%22%5D%2C%22restrictListToMap%22%3A%5B%22restrictListToMap%22%5D%2C%22search%22%3Anull%2C%22sort%22%3A%22newest%22%2C%22timezone%22%3A%22utc%22%2C%22viewModes%22%3A%5B%22list%22%2C%22map%22%5D%2C%22event%22%3Anull%7D

Note: The link is huge because it takes you directly to that area of Japan and with the "street" view.

Sad to hear of the loss of life and injuries, and the property destruction.

.....

[Lucky Luciano]

2. My wife and son are in Kobe (Hyogo Prefecture).

They went for six weeks so my son can go to kindergarten in Japan to improve his Japanese. I will join them in a few weeks.

I texted less than a minute after the quake by coincidence. She did say it was a little scary even for a person well accustomed to earthquakes. She did live through the big one in Kobe in 1995.

[betsuni]

3. I live in the region and thought it was a pretty big one,

but didn't know the extent of it until I saw the news this evening. Disrupted transportation (people stuck in trains for four hours without toilets), no water and busted water pipes, no electricity, 3 deaths and 349 injured. You just never know.

In the case of the little girl who was crushed by her school's concrete wall, the news went into that at length, how the wall was too tall and thin and unsecured. Wouldn't be surprised if the family sued. Poor little girl went to school early because she was a designated greeter, saying good morning to arriving students.

The other guy was killed by his own books. A neighbor said she always saw him walking while reading and that he really must love books.

When the quake struck I was still in my pajamas so while the world was still shaking I ran and put clothes on just in case. You never know.

[Heartstrings]

4. How close was the earthquake

To the Miyazaki region? My 2 young grandsons are visiting their mothers family in that area....worried now.

[betsuni]

5. Don't worry, far away. No problem.

[Heartstrings]

6. Thank you!

Stay safe and please us updated. Having lived in Cali I know how they can aftershock...,

[betsuni]

7. You're welcome and thank you!