Residents and people vacationing in Hawaii on Sunday felt the effects of a magnitude 5.0 earthquake that rattled the area about 4 miles south of the active Pu’u O’o crater on the  Kilauea volcano’s east rift zone.

According to reports the hypcentral depth was approximately 5 miles deep and there is no threat of a tsunami. No report damage was reported at the time of the earthquake.

According to reports a set of smaller quakes were reported within 10 minutes of the first quake and in the the same vicinity following the first and were measured at a magnitude of 3.0.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense released the following statement following the earthquake:

This is a Civil Defense Message. This is an earthquake informational update for Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 at 5PM HST. The earthquake which occurred at approximately 4:38PM was not large enough to cause a tsunami for the Island or state of Hawaii. Preliminary data indicates that the earthquake measured 5.0 and was centered in the vicinity of Kaena Point, Puna. As in all earthquakes, be aware of the possibilities of after shocks. If the earthquake was strongly felt in your area, precautionary checks should be made for any damages, especially to utility connections of gas, water, and power. Again, the earthqauke which occurred at approximately 4:38PM measured 5.0 and was not strong enough to cause a tsunami for the Island or State of Hawaii. Thank you.

According to he Hawaiian Volcano Observatory two small collapses occurred at the West Ka’ili’ili lava delta. The observatory noted:

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded a magnitude 4.7 earthquake located beneath Kilauea volcano’s south flank on Sunday, January 22, 2012, at 4:36 p.m. HST. This earthquake was centered near Holei Pali about 7 km (4 mi) south of the Pu‘u ‘O‘o crater and 15 km (9 mi) west of Kalapana, at a depth of 8 km (5 mi).

There have been 20 official aftershocks following the larger quake.

Are you in Hawaii and did you feel the quake as it occurred?

5.0 Earthquake Hits Hawaii, At Least 20 Aftershocks Felt is a post from: The Inquisitr

A powerful 7.3 earthquake struck 260 miles from the western coast of Indonesia on Wednesday morning, yet caused no injuries or significant damage on land. A tsunami warning was briefly issued, but has since been withdrawn.

The Associated Press reports residents in the Aceh province jammed roads as they fled to higher ground upon hearing the tsunami warning. This is a region of the world still gravely traumatized by the Boxing Day 2004 earthquake and tsunami.

The U.S. Geological Survey stated the quake was centered some 18 miles (30 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.

One resident, named only as Fera, told the AP: “I’m afraid,” before escaping on a motorbike with her two children and her mother. In the town of Simelue, hospitals and schools were evacuated.

Mercifully, the only casualty of the quake was people’s nerves. Close to two hours after the earthquake had first rumbled, authorities lifted the tsunami warning, and relative calm was restored.

Indonesia is especially vulnerable to huge seismic upheaval, as it lies directly on the so-called ‘Ring of Fire,’ an area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. Laid out in a 40,000 km horseshoe shape, it consists of a continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts. Tectonic plate movements are common.

Indonesia took the brunt of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a series of tsunamis triggered by the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. Half of the 230,000 who lost their lives were from the Aceh province.

7.3 Quake Hits Indonesia, No Injuries Reported is a post from: The Inquisitr

The country of Japan has one of the most active earthquake zones in the world and that was proven once again on New Years day 2012 as the country rang in the New Year with a 7.0-magnitude quake under the sea south of Japan.

While the earthquake shook buildings in the capital there appeared to be no serious damage and officials have not warned of a tsunami.

According to the Meterological Agency the epicenter occurred just off the uninhabited island of Torishima, nearly 370 miles south of Tokyo and 230 miles below the sea.

According to local officials why buildings shook there were no injuries reported and express trains in the northern part of Japan were suspended while safety checks were completed.

Unlike the earthquake that hit in March there appears to have been no damage to nuclear power plants in the northeast part of the county.

Japan’s last massive earthquake not only damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant, it left almost 20,000 people dead or missing. That March 11 earthquake which brought with it a tsunami registered as a 9.0-magnitude quake.

Japan Rings In New Year With 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake is a post from: The Inquisitr

Days before the devastating earthquake in Italy in 2009, toads in L’Aquila were said to have abandoned the pond where its colony live.

The Telegraph reports that researchers led by Friedemann Freund from NASA and Rachel Grant from UK’s Open University believe that stressed rocks in the Earth’s crust release charged particles days prior to the quake, reacting with groundwater. Animals living in or near groundwater may have noticed this and left their habitat as a result.

The researchers are hoping that their findings may lead to an improvement in predicting earthquakes. Lab tests from Nasa revealed that changes in the Earth’s crust could have directly affected the chemistry of the toads’ habitat, up to the point of becoming toxic.

Grant, a biologist, said:

“It was very dramatic. It went from 96 toads to almost zero over three days. When you think of all of the many things that are happening to these rocks, it would be weird if the animals weren’t affected in some way. Once we understand how all of these signals are connected, if we see four of five signals all pointing in same direction, we can say, ‘OK, something is about to happen’.”

The findings were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Do you think this is a breakthrough in predicting earthquakes and enabling us to avoid catastrophic damages?

Toads May Help Us Predict Earthquakes is a post from: The Inquisitr

Washington National Cathedral reopened its doors over the weekend, with Sunday seeing its first public service since an earthquake on August 23rd.

The 5.8 quake did an estimated $15 million of damage to the church, with the cathedral’s central tower pinnacles feeling the brunt.

On Sunday, however, spirits were high, as roughly 2,000 people attended a service that saw 51-year-old Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde installed as the ninth bishop of the Washington Episcopal Diocese. Budde is the first woman to be given the job. A week of concerts and an interfaith day of prayer lie ahead as a celebration of the cathedral’s recovery.

At Sunday’s service, the cathedral’s vicar Rev. Canon Jan Cope said:

“Thank you for your patience and support. This has been quite an extraordinary pilgrimage. There are lessons all around about opportunity.”

New bishop Budde said wider lessons should be taken from the damage done to the cathedral, stating:

“Not just for the building itself, but for what our church is for, what the cathedral is for: a spiritual base where we can renew our inspiration and our strength.”

The bells are ringing again at the cathedral, but signs of ongoing repairs remain highly visible. According to The Washington Post, swathes of netting still lie below the cathedral’s vaulted ceilings to catch debris, while exterior scaffolding is also in abundance.

The 104-year-old Washington National Cathedral is the sixth largest in the world, and previously served as the site of the state funeral of President Ronald Reagan. It has also been used for inaugural prayers services for new presidents since 1985.

Washington National Cathedral Reopens After Earthquake is a post from: The Inquisitr

Up to 20 million tons of debris from the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 is closing in and could reach Hawaii in less than two years, Mail Online reports.

Crew members of Russia’s STS Pallada spotted the debris, which includes a 20 feet long fishing boat, as it floats across the Pacific.

Researchers at the University of Hawaii have been tracking the debris. The latest sighting confirmed their path estimates. However, they had to revised travel estimates, saying the debris will now reach the Midway Islands by winter and Hawaii in less than two years.

A spokesman for the International Pacific Research Center at the University of Hawaii said:

“The Russian ship… found an array of unmistakable tsunami debris on its homeward voyage from Honolulu to Vladivostok.”

Researchers have been tracking the debris because it can threaten small ships and coastlines.

Is there any cause for alarm? Should we panic?

20 Million Tons of Debris From Japan Headed to Hawaii is a post from: The Inquisitr

The 7.2 magnitude quake, which hit the Turkish city of Van on Sunday, has also left tens of thousands sleeping outside in freezing conditions.

Rescue teams are now searching for those trapped beneath the rubble, with local mayor Veysel Keser telling the BBC, “There are many people under the rubble. We can hear their screams for help. We need urgent help.”

Ambulances, soldiers and rescue teams have all rushed to the town, with many rescuers working through the night by torchlight, using hands and shovels to dig through collapsed buildings.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has flown to the city by helicopter. He thanked other countries for their offers of help, but insisted Turkey would be able to cope with the disaster.

Mr. Erdogan reported villages north of Van have also been affected, particularly those with a preponderance of clay brick buildings.

Hakki Erskoy, from the Turkish Red Crescent, said camps were being set up to shelter people, and that food and water were being sent to the disaster site, along with mobile kitchens.

The US Geological Survey revealed the quake struck at 13:41 local time (05:41 EST) at a depth of 20km (12 miles). The epicentre was recorded as being 16km north-east of Van in eastern Turkey.

Turkey is prone to earthquakes because of its position in one of the world’s most active seismic zones. A pair of earthquakes in 1999 killed close to 20,000 people in the north-west region of the country.

Here’s an Associated Press report on the disaster:

Turkey Earthquake Kills 239, Rescue Efforts Ongoing is a post from: The Inquisitr

An earthquake registering a magnitude of 6.9 hit India on Saturday night, killing at least nine people while injuring others and damaging buildings in and around the Nepal capital of Kathmandu.

According to reports the earthquake which was felt by people across India sent people running into the streets. The earthquake later triggered aftershocks of magnitude 6.1 and 5.3.

More aftershocks are likely in the hours and days to come and the full extent of damage in the area is not yet known since many people lie in sparsely populated areas that have been cut off because of mudslides that were set off by the earthquake.

In the Sikkim state capital of Gangtok local TV stations are reporting that several buildings have collapsed, while sidewalks cracked under the pressure caused by the quake.

Two buildings have also reportedly collapsed in Gangtok and search teams were attempting to find survivors throughout the night, Gangtok has a population of 50,000.

According to reports the quake was felt all the way to New Dehli.

India Earthquake Leaves Nine Dead, Damages Buildings in Capital is a post from: The Inquisitr

A survey done on 700 Japanese students of the Soka Gakkai Tohoku have shown changes in attitudes after the March 11, 2011 “triple disaster” of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident.

When seeking employment, the students’ key purpose had previously been about earning money (23.2%). After the disasters, students are now focused on “helping others” (188%) and “attaining a stable life” (17.7%). Many have also shown that their motivation is now for the sake of the community (16.8%).

When asked on what issues their views had changed, 19.9% of respondents stated that their views on nuclear power had changed (this figure was higher, at 23%, among students from the affected areas), 18.1% indicated a shift in their perspective on the importance of helping others and 17.7% a change in their appreciation for the basics of daily life such as shelter, food and clothing.

Hironobu Nakamura, Soka Gakkai Tohoku student division leader, comments:

“Many of our student members have been helping out with relief efforts. They wanted through this survey to listen to and broadcast the voices of their peers. Before the disaster many people were commenting on the lack of human connections in Japanese society. The results clearly indicate how much people value these connections now.”

Was there a positive outcome from the “triple disaster”? About 45% mentioned the strengthening of links between people. In terms of lessons they had learned, 34.2% stressed the need for disaster preparedness and 21.1% highlighted the importance of caring for others.

It’s a little disheartening that it would need a disaster to change our outlook and attitude for the better.

Japanese Students Show Changes in Outlook Since March Triple Disaster is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Washington Monument is leaking. After the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the North East last week, the National Parks Service reported that there were a few cracks in the historic landmark. The NPS now thinks that the damage is more extensive, as it has found water on the bottom of the monument.

Politico reports that the Washington Monument suffered four big cracks after the earthquake last week. A four inch break on the face and three other large cracks on the walls.

A backer rod was installed last Friday to keep water out of the monument, but restoration crews discovered water inside the Washington Monument after the storm.

Carol Johnson, a Park Service spokeswoman for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, said that there are probably more cracks in the monument than previously believed. Johnson told NBC:

“The hurricane pointed out cracks and leaks that we didn’t know about. Either you couldn’t see them or we just didn’t have time to look at the whole thing.

“The monument always gets a little bit of water, but this was more water than usual, so we assume that it is from the earthquake.”

The NPS is currently searching for more cracks and will issue a report next week. The Washington Monument is currently closed. Johnson said it was possible that the Monument would open while it was being repaired, but she couldn’t give a timeline.

Johnson said:

“They said it’s possible it could be opened up while they do some repair work, but as for timeline, I have no idea.”

The Washington Monument leak is not a good sign for the 150-year-old structure, but engineers assured the NPS that the monument was still structurally sound.

Washington Monument Leak Points To More Cracks is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fortunately, no major damage has been reported after a surprise 5.9 earthquake in Virginia shook up the east coast, but there have been reports of minor structural damage – the Washington Monument being one of them.

In the excitement of yesterday’s events, rumors were starting to spread that the Washington Monument had been tilted as a result of the quake. That doesn’t appear to be the case, but crews surveying the monument from a helicopter did spot several cracks on the northern end of the uppermost portion of the monument.

As of now, officials have yet to determine the full extent of the damage but, at least for now, the damage appears to be only cosmetic and minor. As a precaution, the Washington Monument will be closed off “indefinitely” until structural engineers are able to assess the situation.

Fortunately, other monuments in the area appear to be completely intact. The Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial were both shut down shortly after the quake, but they were both reopened after inspections determined that neither site had suffered any damage.

The relatively mild 5.9 quake may not have meant much to those on the west coast, but you can’t blame people for being shaken up when you consider that the August 24 earthquake was the largest ever recorded in the Washington D.C. area, handily beating the old record of 3.6.

As of now, there’s no word on when the Washington Monument will be opened again.

Washington Monument suffers minor cracks after earthquake is a post from: The Inquisitr

The 5.9 magnitude earthquake that rocked the East Coast this morning shocked a lot of people in that part of the country and one of those people was a local car dealer in Virginia who was filming a commercial for his shop when the earthquake started.

Here’s a look at the commercial:

You can tell how rare earthquakes are in that part of the country by the question “what in the world was that” followed by the answer “I think it was an earthquake.”

If the same thing happened in California during a commercial taping everyone would have avoided falling objects then went right back to work without a second thought.

Did you feel the effects of today’s tremors? I’m in Illinois where it was said to have been felt however I didn’t notice anything during the morning hours.

Earthquake Caught On Video During Car Dealership Commercial is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nearly four months after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 182 people and costing New Zealand up to $10 billion in damages, Christchurch was hit with a series of tremors, the most powerful being a 6.0 magnitude earthquake at 2:20 PM local time (10:20 PM ET) on Monday.

There have been no reported fatalities at this time, but according to New Zealand’s Civil Defense, 10 people suffered minor injuries. Two people were also reportedly rescued from a damaged church, but there have been no other reports of people trapped as a result of damage.

Unfortunately, it’s not over quite yet for Christchurch. Today’s series of tremors are, according to New Zealand’s GNS Institute, an expected result of the February earthquake, and the latest earthquake may even set off fresh seismic activity.

“We would expect a number of aftershocks in the magnitude 4.0 to 5.0 range on the coming days and weeks,”  Kelvin Berryman, GNS’s Manager of Natural Hazards Research told Reuters.

via Yahoo

[Image]

Christchurch, New Zealand Hit With More Powerful Quakes is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake on February 22 claimed 63 deaths and cost the life insurance industry a combined total of $12.5 million.

The Investment Savings & Insurance Association (ISI) tracked insurance payouts made to families and combined trauma, death, disability and other payouts to determine that the average payout was $199,000.

According to the associations findings 180 claims were accepted for redundancy while 16 were accepted for income protection and two for trauma and/or permanent disability.

According to ISI chief executive Peter Neilson the tragedy at Christchurch has proven that insurance agencies are not attempting to avoid paying on claims.

Nielson spoke about the importance of life insurance, noting:

“Hopefully the February earthquake will help more people to realize that life insurance can be an important part of their family’s financial protection, and that they can trust their life insurer will be there for their family when tragedy strikes.”

A tragedy is always hard to overcome, at least in 63 cases insurers rushed to help families begin to rebuild their shattered lives.

$12.5 Million Paid Out By Insurance Company’s For Christchurch Quake is a post from: The Inquisitr

Remember that little do who ended up lost at sea for three weeks following the earthquake, and the tsunami that followed it?

Well it turns out that the dog, whose name is Ban, was reunited with her owner following an incredible rescue at sea,

Kleenex line-up at the left there folks.

via Geekosystem

Your Aww Moment of the Day – Tsunami Dag reunited with owner [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the United States and many other parts of the world, simply adding a road can take months of planning, following by city council meetings, various construction bids and tons of other bureaucratic red tape to cut through. In Japan, after an earthquake destroys an already existing road they simply move in, tear up the old road and throw a new one down 3 hours and 30 minutes short of 4 days from start to finish.

Japanese Workers Fix Earthquake Demolished Road In Days [Pic] is a post from: The Inquisitr

According to Andriasang, some of the biggest contributions have come from Nintendo ($3.65m), SEGA Sammy ($2.45m) and Sony ($3.65m and 30,000 radios). Dead or Alive publisher Tecmo has donated $123,000, while Namco Bandai has contributed $1.23m and closed its arcades to help conserve much-needed energy.

Namco Bandai is not alone in attempting to save power – companies are also turning off game servers, with Square Enix and Konami shutting down online play in Final Fantasy MMOs and Metal Gear Solid 4 respectively.

Awesome, heart-warming work, all of you!

The image for this article, by the way, is from Capcom’s Tatsuro Iwamoto, art director for the wonderful Phoenix Wright series of games. According to the dudes at Tiny Cartridge, the text above Phoenix, Miles, and Maya reads: “Let’s work hard and not be defeated by the earthquake!!” Indeed.

See also: You can find the English language version of the Japanese Red Cross Society site here.

[Via Andriasang]

Game companies dig deep, donate to Japan relief efforts is a post from: The Inquisitr

Using satellite images of before and after the earthquake that struck Japan the Australian news site ABC News has some pretty incredible examples of how destructive the 8.9 earthquake was that hit Japan. These are just a few of the images but if you head over to the ABC News site you can manipulate the images yourself to see how different cities and areas of Japan were devastated.

Incredible side-by-side before and after satellite photos of devastated Japan is a post from: The Inquisitr

It was a massive earthquake with some suggesting that they might have to revise the power of the quake upward from8.9 to 9.1.

In fact the earthquake was so powerful that it caused some pretty major geological changes. Scientists from the United States Geological Service (USGS) shared some startling information while answering questions from the public today.

• Earth’s axis has reportedly shifted 10 inches as a result of the quake
• Japan’s coast is said to have permanently shifted 2.4 meters
• 100+ aftershocks measuring 5.0 magnitude or more have hit Japan following the initial quake
• The quake was 900 times stronger than the one that hit San Francisco in 1989
• Shaking was felt as far away as China
• St. Louis, Missouri media outlets are reporting the city has moved an inch as a result of the quake
• Waves from the tsunami caused by the quake reached 32 feet

via The Vancouver Sun

Japan’s earthquake causes earth’s axis and Japan’s coast to shift is a post from: The Inquisitr

As people grabbed for anything solid during the 8.9 earthquake that shook Japan on March 11, 2011 the ground wasn’t the only thing moving as you can see in the video below.

Japan has spent more money than any other country in the world on building safety for times just like this and we can be thankful that the only thing the buildings did was sway back and forth as this has probably saved more lives than we can imagine.

via DVICE

Skyscrapers sway as the ground shakes from the Japanese 8.9 earthquake [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr