In The Days

• Source: Examiner
• News Date: 2/27/10
• Author: Joshua Williams

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake shook Okinawa, Japan and generated fears of a potentially large tidal wave in the early hours of the local morning of February 27th, but little damage result.

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Earthquakes

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes•Strongs 4578: seismos, sice-mos´; from 4579; a commotion, i.e. (of the air) a gale, (of the ground) an earthquake:—earthquake, tempest.
•Strongs 4579: seio, si´-o; apparently a primary verb; to rock (vibrate, properly, sideways or to and fro), i.e. (generally) to agitate (in any direction; cause to tremble); figuratively, to throw into a tremor (of fear or concern):—move, quake, shake., in divers places.”
—Matthew 24:7

According to the Japan Meteorological agency (JMA), the 6.9 quake hit at 5:31am (JST), originating approximately 50km (31miles) east of Naha City and 10km (6miles) underground – Naha is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture. The quake was caused by a strike-slip fault, a fault where the rocks on either side slide horizontal and parallel to each other.

Within two minutes of the earthquake, the JMA issued an alert for the possibility of a tsunami in the region that could reach as high 2 meters (a little over 6.5 feet) in height. However, the highest actual resulting wave measured was only approximately 10 centimeters (4 inches) in height.

On the JMA Seismic Intensity Scale, which measures the amount of shaking on the earth’s surface, the quake reached a weak-5 in one area and a 4 throughout most of Okinawa’s main island. A four is generally categorized as “Sleeping people jump out of bed, and feel afraid. Electric poles and trees are seen to shake. Some roofing tiles of general houses may slip out of place, but serious damage does not occur yet,” the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion states. The earthquake also registered as far north as Kyushu Island in southern Japan.

Little damage from February 27th Okinawa earthquake

According to a local newspaper, the Okinawa Times, two people were reported to have received light injuries, including an elderly woman who fell out of her bed and injured her right shoulder. Seventy-five reports of structural damaged were also received.

The last earthquake of the same intensity to hit the region was in 1909. Two people died in that incident.