Friday, March 11, 2011

Lots of videos of 8.9 quake in Japan...

 
in the Lede blog in the New York Times. Includes an aerial shot of a big whirlpool that appeared... Yikes.

Just one of many:



This video is also informative, an MSNBC interview of USGS geologist while showing footage, and she (geologist) talks about effects of where the tide is (low, high, etc.) and how that influences the impact of initial tsunami and any subsequent waves...

West coast and Alaska tsunami warning center has issued a warning for central and northern California coast and Oregon, but they don't expect damage, according to the LA Times. Here's a list of when it's expected to hit different areas.

First alerted to this by geologist friend who posted this USGS alert on facebook. The headline says 7.9 but read it and it's an 8.9. Lots of useful information here, including what time it was when it occurred, translated into many different time zones so you can get temporally oriented.

bb
Labels:

6 comments:

  1. Katie (Nature ID)March 11, 2011 at 7:49 AM

    Thank for this, bb. Living only one block away from the ocean and on a peninsula where there are only 2 free-access roads out to safety (another 2 are private Pebble Beach and security-heavy Presidio - who knows if they'll be efficient in opening up their road access in an emergency), so I pay attention. This is the 2nd "warning" we've gotten since the new alert system has been in place in the past couple of years. The previous "warning" was downgraded to an "advisory", then to a "watch", only after hours of much panic. What we saw were waves about 6 ft in height, smaller than your average winter storm.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Katie (Nature ID)March 11, 2011 at 7:53 AM

    Oh, one more comment... by issuing warnings, it makes those of us in the immediate area frightened and panicky, based on the definitions of "warnings." It's like the boy crying wolf. A simple issue of a "watch" would be enough. Now I understand those folks in the Gulf area who wait until the last minute to evacuate for a hurricane.

    ReplyDelete
  3. biobabblerMarch 11, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    Thanks for your posts, Katie. One comment at the bottom of the Lede blog said that due to semi-panicked Japanese tourists in Hawaii, they issued a calming message in Japanese on TV to help folks out. Good idea! Agreed re: word choice is pretty important...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Katie (Nature ID)March 11, 2011 at 8:01 AM

    Per NOAA:
    Warning -> Inundating wave possible -> Full evacuation suggested

    Advisory -> Strong currents likely -> Stay away from the shore

    Watch -> Danger level not yet known -> Stay alert for more info

    Information -> Minor waves at most -> No action suggested

    ReplyDelete
  5. biobabblerMarch 11, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  6. MelissaMarch 12, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    We get those with Tornados here in the Midwest, and I can never remember which one is the bad one!

    ReplyDelete

Cool people write inside rectangles....

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)