Japan Earthquake 2011: Magnitude 6.3 Quake Hits Off Main Honshu Island

***UPDATE: FOR INFORMATION ON THE MARCH 11, 2011 EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI, CLICK HERE.***

The U.S Geological Survey is reporting that a magnitude 6.3 earthquake has hit off the coast of Honshu, Japan's main island.

The earthquake hit at a depth of about 1 mile below sea level. Honshu is the largest island of Japan, and is home to both Tokyo and Yokohama. According to Reuters, the quake was centered 126 miles from the city of Sendai.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

Comments

[Dana1982]

06:52 AM on 03/11/2011

What's it going to take for the repugs to see that we are harming our planet with global warming?

[sheherezade]

04:04 AM on 03/10/2011

7.3 according to other sources

[lizipoo]

09:46 PM on 03/09/2011

Check the USG.gov earthquake map.   There have been 29 large aftershocks/quakes since the initial 7.2, mostly in the 5 range, several larger than 6.  All in less than 2 days.   I can't imagine how frightening  and unsettling this must be for those who live in the region and extend my prayers and wishes for their well-being.  The Pacific ring of fire is a force to be reckoned with and it's only a matter of time before it unleashes a calamitous 9.0.   I've lived in it all of my life and bounced thru a couple big ones in L.A. and one in S.F. so I have a hint of what these people are feeling. 

[Ramkshrestha]

04:34 PM on 03/09/2011

Sensitive zone from seismic point of view, but good with technology as well.

[tiredofwaiting]

04:07 PM on 03/09/2011

and more to come around the fragile globe

[Concerned Citizen in CA]

03:33 PM on 03/09/2011

Much better reporting on this aftershock than the earlier 7.2 earthquake. The 7.2 earthquake report said that it happened in northeastern Japan, which would put it closer to the island of Hokkaido, which would be in error. All of the quakes were off Honshu. Those of us with relatives in Japan thank you for accurately reporting it in this report.

[StuffMoreStuff]

04:09 PM on 03/09/2011

mmmm kinda, I dunno it was off of Iwate, which I could see why they might call that NW Japan. If they said NW Honshu, 1/2 the people would probably say : "Where the hell is honshu?!"

[Concerned Citizen in CA]

04:23 PM on 03/09/2011

How about central Japan? When you include Hokkaido, it is actually central Japan. I have relatives in Sendai, but the earlier report made it sound like it was closer to Sapporo or Aomori. The closest city to both of these quakes was actually Sendai. The original story was very misleading.

[jahzilla]

03:16 PM on 03/09/2011

For anyone paying attention . . . seismic activities of >5 magnitude have exponentially increased (over the past 7 days) all the way around the Pacific's "Ring of Fire".

[B Kleitz]

06:01 PM on 03/09/2011

I'm trying not to think about it. Because there is also the big fish kills over that way too. I think there is definitely something big coming......

[Rickyrab]

06:13 PM on 03/09/2011

So the Pacific Plate is on the march. Wowee.