Japan Sinks Two Feet; Earthquake Shifts the Planet's Axis

Japan’s Earthquake Shifted Balance of the Planet

March 14, 2011

The Lookout - Last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has actually moved the island closer to the United States and shifted the planet's axis.

The quake caused a rift 15 miles below the sea floor that stretched 186 miles long and 93 miles wide, according to the AP. The areas closest to the epicenter of the quake jumped a full 13 feet closer to the United States, geophysicist Ross Stein at the United States Geological Survey told The New York Times.

The 9.0 magnitude quake (the fourth-largest recorded since 1900) was caused when the Pacific tectonic plate dove under the North American plate, which shifted Eastern Japan towards North America by about 13 feet (see NASA's before and after photos at right). The quake also shifted the earth's axis by 6.5 inches, shortened the day by 1.6 microseconds, and sank Japan downward by about two feet. As Japan's eastern coastline sunk, the tsunami's waves rolled in.

Why did the quake shorten the day? The earth's mass shifted towards the center, spurring the planet to spin a bit faster. Last year's massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile also shortened the day, but by an even smaller fraction of a second. The 2004 Sumatra quake knocked a whopping 6.8 micro-seconds off the day.

After the country's 1995 earthquake, Japan placed high-tech sensors around the country to observe even the slightest movements, which is why scientists are able to calculate the quake's impact down to the inch. "

This is overwhelmingly the best-recorded great earthquake ever," Lucy Jones, chief scientist for the Multi-Hazards project at the U.S. Geological Survey, told The Los Angeles Times.

The tsunami's waves necessitated life-saving evacuations as far away as Chile. Fisherman off the coast of Mexico reported a banner fishing day Friday, and speculated that the tsunami knocked sealife in their direction.


These images show the effects of the tsunami on Japan's coastline. The image on the left was taken on Sept. 5, 2010; the image on the right was taken on March 12, 2011, one day after an earthquake and resulting tsunami struck the island nation.

Washed Away: Three Tsunami-Swept Towns

March 14, 2011

Associated Content – As Japanese authorities continue to assess the damage from Friday's 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami, chilling details are emerging about towns washed away and massive numbers of residents gone in a flash.

Minamisanriku

When officials checked in on Minamisanriku, a town of 17,000 in the Miyagi prefecture, the news was devastating. The coastal town close to the epicenter in Sendai was destroyed in the tsunami. 9,500 residents, comprising more than half of the town, are missing. The missing Minamisanriku residents are feared dead, with crushed under buildings or washed out to sea.

About 7,500 Minamisanriku residents evacuated to shelters.

NHK reporter Judith Kawaguchi observed the tsunami aftermath in Minamisanriku, tweeting this dismal report: "10,000 ppl missing. horrible, whole town is gone. highway broken into bits, in mud, all mud, all gone."

In a second tweet, she said: "incredible devastation, all buildings except hospital are gone, highway in pieces. only 3 buildings standing, hospital, some wedding place and one more building. rest are gone".

Kesennuma

Daily Yomiuri is reporting a "hellish sight" in Kesennuma. Kesennuma suffered some of the worst quake damage, with fires still burning out of control as Saturday dawned. Kesennuma is in Miyagi prefecture, 300 miles northeast of Tokyo. The Guardian reported that Friday night aerial footage showed the entire city ablaze.

What the earthquake's inferno failed to destroy, the raging tsunami claimed. One-third of the disaster-stricken city is under water. A BBC video shows the floodwaters washing cars, tractor trailers and buildings out to sea.

Kesennuma's casualty count has not been established but some 9,500 residents are missing, according to the Telegraph. 10,000 of Kesennuma's 75,700 evacuated to shelters.

Rikuzentakata

"Virtually destroyed" is how Kyodo News Agency described Rikuzentakata.

The Daily Mail posted a photo essay showing Rikuzentakata before, during and after the tsunami hit. In Rikuzentakata, there was apparently no time for evacuation, before the 10-meter waves arrived. The force of the initial onslaught crushed occupied homes into kindling and carried others away. Those that remained standing ultimately gave into the tsunami's power as dozens more tsunami waves followed. Once a thriving harbor town, Rikuzentakata -- what's left of it -- is now rubble.

So far, Japan's Self Defense forces have reported recovery of 300 to 400 bodies in Rikuzentakata, according to the Herald Sun. Before Friday's disaster, 23,000 residents called Rikuzentakata home.

• Small Japanese Village Vanishes after Tsunami (Slide Show)
• Unbelievable Satellite Photos of Before and After the Quake