Name _____________________________
RUSSIA Hokkaido
N. KOREA
EARTHQUAKES • 9
CHINA
© iStockphoto.com
Earthquake in Japan, March 11, 2011
Earthquakes
Earthquake Epicenter
JAPAN
NORTH AMERICA
ASIA
S. KOREA JAPAN
Shikoku
Honshu
PACIFIC OCEAN
Hawaii
Kyushu
JAPAN—A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake shook Japan at 2:46 P.M. local time on March 11, 2011. It was the most powerful earthquake to strike Japan in at least one hundred years and the fifthlargest ever recorded in the world. The earthquake sent large walls of water sweeping across coastal areas, destroying houses, buildings, and vehicles. News reports on television showed fires burning in the northern city of Sendai. Thousands of people were unable to return to their homes and many were feared dead. The earthquake caused power outages and transportation problems throughout Japan. It also damaged factories and oil © Learning A–Z All rights reserved.
AUSTRALIA
refineries. Authorities had to evacuate an area around a nuclear power plant after its cooling system lost power. Additional tsunami warnings were issued for at least fifty other countries and territories, including the United States and Canada. Coastal areas in Hawaii and other Pacific islands were evacuated as a precaution. Although earthquakes are a frequent part of life in Japan, this one was much more powerful and destructive than most. The epicenter of the quake was an area 231 miles (373 km) northeast of Tokyo and 15.2 mi (24.4 km) deep. Many aftershocks followed the original quake, including several that were stronger than 6.0.
EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN
PACIFIC OCEAN
www.readinga-z.com