Past and Current Information on Earthquakes near Tokyo, JAPAN
One of Japan's worst earthquakes was the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923. This earthquake had magnitude of 7.9 and it struck the Kanto plain on the island of Honshu on the morning of September 1st. This earthquake destroyed Tokyo. Tokyo then was the home of 2 million people, and caused damage throughout the Kanto region. The Great Kanto earthquake killed 142, 800 people therefore making it one of the deadliest earthquakes of all time.
The latest earthquake that occurred near Japan was the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11th of 2011. This earthquake had a magnitude of 8.9. The epicenter was located on the North American Plate near Sendai. The picture above displays the location of the epicenter.
Northern Japan is located on the west tip of the North American plate. This area which contains the Japan trench is the home of the Pacific plate. The earthquake resulted from the Pacific plate being forced under the North American plate. This earthquake happened because of violent movement of the Pacific plate being compressed underneath the North American place, therefore forcing it upward. The tsunami was created from a massive amount of energy being released from the upward movement of the plates. This causes a vast amount of ocean water to be displaced, resulting in a tsunami. Energy is radiated from the epicenter. The tsunami reaches land and the shallower water makes the wave height increase. The waves are pushed inland from so much water and energy that has built up behind it.
This earthquake following a tsunami hit the coast of Japan reaching more than twenty feet along the coast. The United States of America and South America were issued tsunami warnings at the time.
Northern Japan is located on the west tip of the North American plate. This area which contains the Japan trench is the home of the Pacific plate. The earthquake resulted from the Pacific plate being forced under the North American plate. This earthquake happened because of violent movement of the Pacific plate being compressed underneath the North American place, therefore forcing it upward. The tsunami was created from a massive amount of energy being released from the upward movement of the plates. This causes a vast amount of ocean water to be displaced, resulting in a tsunami. Energy is radiated from the epicenter. The tsunami reaches land and the shallower water makes the wave height increase. The waves are pushed inland from so much water and energy that has built up behind it.
This earthquake following a tsunami hit the coast of Japan reaching more than twenty feet along the coast. The United States of America and South America were issued tsunami warnings at the time.