Japan's premier to resign by August 30

Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Naoto Kan says he will resign by August 30. (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195300.html

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has announced his resignation, saying that his successor will take over by August 30 amid criticism over his handling of the nation's March 11 quake.

In an informal meeting with his ministers on Tuesday, Kan said his successor will be in office once parliament passes two key bills this week, AFP reported on Tuesday.

''I believe a new prime minister will be decided on August 30,'' he said.

Japan's centre-left ruling party will choose the new premier on August 29 on the condition that two key bills pass this week, said Secretary General of Japan's Democratic Party (DPJ) Katsuya Okada.

The DPJ's board members also agreed on the date for the party meeting to allow for the timely passage of a third extra budget to finance disaster reconstruction and for steps to tackle the strong yen, Okada said.

Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Trade Minister Banri Kaieda, former Transport Minister Sumio Mabuchi and several others are expected to run for the position.

On March 11, a destructive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and an ensuing tsunami struck Japan's northern coasts, setting off a nuclear crisis by knocking out power to cooling systems of reactors at the Fukushima plant and causing a radiation leak.

The devastating quake and tsunami also killed about 24,000 people and ravaged the Fukushima plant. The crisis has displaced about 80,000 residents from around the plant as well.

German nuclear plants fail safety test

A German nuclear power plant (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/180678.html

A “worst-case scenario” test of Germany's nuclear reactors has revealed that none of the European country's seventeen nuclear reactors would withstand a disastrous event.

The study by the country's Reactor Safety Commission concluded that all the power plants are vulnerable when it comes to an “event of extreme disaster,” the German magazine, Spiegel, reported.

The plants fell short in meeting the highest safety standard, level three, in different facets of the tests. They even failed to achieve an overall average of the medium standard, level two.

Among the events envisaged in the tests were earthquakes, flooding, power failure and plane crashes.

The report, however, did not recommend the closure of any of the reactors.

Germany's Environment Minister Norbert Rottgen, also responsible for the country's energy affairs, also said there was no urgent need to shut any reactor.

"There is no reason for us to make a mad rush to stop using nuclear power overnight," he said, adding, "It remains the case that a way must be found for us to leave nuclear power behind as soon as possible."

However, he pointed out that the plants lacked the "required safety features," and would probably have to be closed before their scheduled shutdown date.

Rottgen also acknowledged that four reactors would not even withstand the impact of a small airplane crash.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has attempted to respond to public concerns over the safety of nuclear energy in the country by holding two commissions that sought advice on the future of the atomic energy in the European country.

She also ordered the review of the reactors' safety after a nuclear disaster was triggered by an earthquake in Japan, and imposed a moratorium on her last year's decision to extend the lifetimes of Germany's nuclear plants.

The plants were due to be taken offline by 2021 under legislation passed by the government of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroder.

The current legislation requires all of Germany's nuclear plants to be shut down by 2036.

Japan on edge of recession: Survey

Reports say Japan is sliding into recession after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit the world's number three economic power last month

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/173140.html

A new survey shows Japan will likely plunge into recession in the upcoming months, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and a nuclear crisis in the Asian nation.

After a survey of 11 major private economic institutions, the Nikkei business newspaper reported on Tuesday that Japan's economy is feared to shrink 2.6 percent on the average.

Some economists, however, painted a gloomier picture of the current situation in Japan, predicting a 7.1 percent drop in the disaster-hit country, the Japanese daily said.

It added that no recovery was expected until the July-September quarter.

Apart from the tragic human toll, the triple disaster in Japan has destroyed much of the nation's infrastructures, knocked out power and disrupted the supply chain, forcing many companies and manufacturers to shut down production.

The crisis has also slashed business confidence, reduced exports and discouraged consumer spending in the world's number three economy.

Japan has so far put the cost for last month's earthquake and tsunami, which has officially left 11,938 people dead, at 25 trillion yen ($297 billion).

The estimate does not account for wider issues such as the effects of radiation from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.

On Saturday, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said the level of radiation in the seawater near the Fukushima plant has reached more than 4,000 times the legal limit.

Reports indicate that some food products from towns around the epicenter of the nuclear crisis have already been contaminated.

US to review NYC nuclear plant location

Fukushima plant workers prepare to deal with nuclear disaster.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170959.html

In the wake of Japan's nuclear disaster, the US Energy Secretary is studying whether a nuclear reactor near New York City should remain at its current location.

Steven Chu said the safety of the Indian Point Energy Center, located just 50 kilometers from New York City, has been heavily disputed in recent days.

“We will have to look at whether this reactor should remain,” Chu said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.

According to Chu, the Obama administration and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission continue to believe that the reactor is safe and that they are only reviewing existing evacuation plans following the Japan incident.

On Thursday, the Union of Concerned Scientists released a report highlighting vulnerabilities at the Indian Point which they claim the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has largely ignored.

A recent report by ABC News suggests US-based General Electric (GE), which designed all six reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, was forewarned of the critical engineering flaws in its water-cooled reactors which are currently in danger of undergoing a catastrophic meltdown following Japan's last week 8.9-magnitute earthquake.

Vladislav Shurygin, military publicist from Russian newspaper Zavtra, says, “Today we are not dealing with a Japanese nuclear catastrophe, despite the whole world watching developments in Japan and everyone knowing about Fukushima.”

“In fact, it's an American nuclear disaster. All four reactors hit by explosions were built by the American General Electric Company. Moreover, the plant was constructed and designed mainly by American experts,” he said.

Japan injects 5 Trillion Yen into troubled markets

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170361.html

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has injected 5 trillion yens (USD 61 billion) to calm the country's upset financial markets following Japan's devastating March 11 earthquake.

The BOJ said on Thursday that its total liquidity injection reached 60.6 trillion yen (USD 739 billion) since Monday, Xinhua reported.

The injections come after the devastating temblor, Japan's strongest on record, and the ensuing tsunami on Friday, which collapsed the country's banking system.

The move would possibly decrease the value of yen and increase the country's inflation, analysts said.

The massive quake's death toll has reached 4,314 while at least 9,000 are unaccounted for.

The catastrophe and deepening nuclear crisis, caused at the Fukushima power plant reactors, could result in losses of up to USD 200 billion for the world's third largest economy.

The Japanese government on Wednesday ordered emergency workers to withdraw from a stricken nuclear plant amid a surge in radiation, temporarily suspending efforts to cool the overheating reactors.

The nuclear crisis has triggered international alarm and partly overshadowed the human tragedy caused by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake.

Meanwhile, Japanese stocks suffered their worst two-day rout since the 1987 crash on Monday and Tuesday, losing USD 626 billion in value, before rebounding 5.7 percent on Wednesday.

Japan earthquake unleashes tsunami

Up to 26 people reported killed after 8.9-magnitude quake strikes off northeastern coast, sparking tsunami.



Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/03/2011311607470826.html

Up to 26 people are reported to have been killed after one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Japan, triggering a 10-metre-high tsunami along parts of the country's northeastern coastline.

The massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan on Friday, sweeping away cars, boats, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control.

Japan's NHK television reported many injuries and showed pictures of major tsunami damage in the north, with buildings being inundated by waves of water in Onahama city in Fukushima prefecture.

Japan's meteorological agency said 26 people have been confirmed dead in the aftermath of the quake and tsunami, and 44 fires have broken out across the country.

The death toll included three people who were reportedly crushed to death when their houses collapsed in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of the capital, Tokyo.

News of the death toll came amid a warning that another strong quake could be imminent on the northeast Honshu island, Japan's main island.

Prime minister's address

Japan's prime minister addressed the nation after the quake, saying major damage had been done but that help is on the way.

In a televised address on Friday, Naoto Kan said the government was making "every effort possible" to minimise damage.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," he said. "Some of the nuclear power plants in the region have automatically shut down, but there is no leakage of radioactive materials to the environment."

His words came amid the issuing of a tsunami warning for much of the Pacific region, following a wave set off by the Japan quake that is currently higher than some Pacific islands, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said.

"Our biggest concern is the Asia and Pacific region, where developing countries are far more vulnerable to this type of

unfolding disaster. The tsunami is a major threat," Paul Conneally, spokesman for the federation, the world's biggest

disaster relief network, told the Reuters news agency in Geneva.

"At the moment, it is higher than some islands and could go right over them," he said.

Houses washed away

Shortly after the quake struck, a 10-metre tsunami hit Sendai airport in the north-east. Television footage showed people standing on the roof of the terminal building.

The tsunami roared over embankments in Sendai city, washing cars, houses and farm equipment inland before reversing directions and carrying them out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii has widened its tsunami warning to cover most of the Pacific Ocean, including Russia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific coast of South America.

"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the centre said in a statement.

It did not include North America in the warning but the Tsunami Warning Centre in Alaska issued a tsunami watch for the entire western coast of the United States and Canada from the Mexican border to Chignik Bay in Alaska.

Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas, reporting from Manila in the Philippines, said the military there had been ordered to help evacuate areas at risk on the east coast.

High alert

Meanwhile, a huge fire engulfed an oil refinery in Iichihara near Tokyo, where four million homes were said to be without electricity. Plumes of smoke rose from at least 10 locations in city.

Military airplanes were flying over the worst-affected areas to assess the need for rescue efforts and 30 international search and rescue teams were prepared to go to Japan to provide assistance following the quake, the United Nations said.

Yukiko Shimahara, a Japanese journalist, told Al Jazeera that the airports and trains in Tokyo have been shut down following the quake.

The quake that struck at 2:46pm was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks, including a 7.4-magnitude one about 30 minutes later.

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan, reporting from Beijing, said tremors were felt as far away as the Chinese capital.

Several earthquakes have hit the region in recent days, including a 7.2-magnitude quake on Wednesday.

"Japan has been on high alert since the earthquake on Wednesday," Al Jazeera's Harry Fawcett, following developments from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, said.

"Japan is very well equipped to deal both with the initial tremors caused by an earthquake: buildings are systematically built with allowances for sway so that they are less likely to fall down. Also coastal cities have long had tsunami protection measures in place."

Friday's quake struck at a depth of 24 kilometres, about 125 kilometres off the eastern coast, the country's meteorological agency said.

The quake's magnitude surpasses the 7.9 Great Kanto quake of 1923, which killed more than 140,000 people in the Tokyo area.

Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire"- an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim and where about 90 per cent of the world's quakes occur.

Superstorm likely to hit California

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161328.html


Federal officials say California has more to fear than earthquakes. Officials are warning that something called an Ark storm could be so overwhelming that much of the entire state would become flooded. This super storm would drown entire cities and turn valleys into rivers. Mark Jackson is the chief meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles. Jackson says the Ark storm is plausible mainly because it's already happened before.

He says historical data shows a massive storm system hit the state in the mid-1800s.

Scientists say computer models based on previous weather data suggest California can be hit with a storm system so powerful that the state's levees and flood control systems would be overwhelmed. And the damage would be the far worse than what was caused by Hurricane Katrina.

California focuses much of it's preparedness efforts toward earthquakes, like the Great American Shakeout drill held each year. But Jackson says an Ark storm poses just as much of a threat, if not more.

Infact, scientists estimate that an Ark storm would cause roughly five times the amount of damage than any so-called “Big One” earthquake.

Scientists say there are two main reasons why this Ark storm report was released.

One, they want the government agencies to start working together now to prepare a worst-case scenario and two, they're hoping this information will lead to the creation of an Ark storm warning system similar to the scale of those used for hurricanes.

Magnitude 7.2 quake strikes Pakistan

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160829.html


An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 has hit southwestern Pakistan, causing three deaths, a number of injuries to a number of locals, and damage to structures.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck at 1:23 a.m. local time on Wednesday (2023 GMT on Tuesday), 55 kilometers (34 miles) west of Dalbandin, Balochistan province and at a depth of 83 kilometers (52 miles), Reuters reported.

Local media have reported three deaths so far.

In Dalbandin, several people were injured when the roofs of their houses collapsed, according to provincial Transport Minister Amanullah Notizai.

A three-story building has also been damaged in the port city of Karachi.

In the Indian border province of Rajasthan, cracks appeared in the walls of some rural dwellings.

Tremors were also felt as far away as Dubai and New Delhi.

US seismologist Don Blakeman said the earthquake depth was revised to be deeper than originally thought -- potentially limiting the effects. The initial USGS report said the quake was quite shallow, with a depth of 6.3 miles (10 kilometers).

Its epicenter was in a remote area 320 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of the Baluchistan capital Quetta, not far from the Afghan border, said chief Pakistani meteorologist Arif Mahmood.

There have been no reports of major damage in Dalbandin, Karan, and Quetta, three towns that are closest to the quake's epicenter.

Local TV has reported that the quake was felt throughout Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan provinces in Pakistan, as well as in parts of Iran and India.

Many people in the country's largest city, Karachi, rushed out into the streets in panic after the quake.

The USGS initially reported the quake had a magnitude of 7.4. Quakes of 7.0 to 7.9 are classified as major; anything over 8.0 is classified as great.

The Pacific Tsunami Centre announced that the earthquake had not caused a tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Earthquakes often rattle the region. A magnitude 7.6 quake, which occurred on October 8, 2005, killed about 80,000 people in northwestern Pakistan and Kashmir and left more than 3 million homeless.

Chile struggles to reach survivors

Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/02/2010228163432794578.html


Rescue workers in central Chile are searching for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings, a day after one of the world's most powerful earthquakes struck the South American country.

At least 708 people were killed in the 8.8-magnitude earthquakethat rocked the nation early on Saturday, Michelle Bachelet, Chile's outgoing president, said in an address to the nation on Sunday.

But officials warned that the toll could rise as rescue workers dig through debris to unearth scores of people believed trapped beneath the rubble.

Chileans fearful of aftershocks camped outside on Sunday in towns shattered by the earthquake, as officials struggled to grasp the scale of the damage to the country's transport, energy and housing infrastructure.

'Out of control'

In the hard-hit city of Concepcion, about 500km south of the capital, Santiago, at least 100 people were feared trapped in the rubble of a collapsed apartment block where rescue workers dug through the night to find survivors.

"We spent the whole night working, smashing through walls to find survivors," Marcelo Plaza, a Chilean commander and rescue worker, said.

"The biggest problem is fuel, we need fuel for our machinery and water for our people."

Meanwhile, security officials used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds of looters who took food and electrical appliances from a supermarket in the city.

Television images showed people carting groceries and other foods from ransacked stores as police looked on.
Other residents looted pharmacies and a collapsed grain silo, hauling off bags of wheat, television images showed.
Jacqueline van Rysselberghe, the mayor of Concepcion, said the situation was getting "out of control" due to shortages of basic supplies.

But she warned that the looting was "totally unjustifiable".
"We've got a very complicated situation and the people feel very vulnerable," she told local radio.

'State of catastrophe'

Earlier, Bachelet said 1.5 million people had been affected by the earthquake and she declared a "state of catastrophe",saying that officials were still trying to evaluate the "enormous quantity of damage."

Meanwhile, officials in her administration said 500,000 homes were severely damaged.


The earthquake has raised a daunting first challenge for Sebastian Pinera, who was elected Chile's president in January and who takes office in two weeks.


"Unfortunately, Chile is a country of catastrophes," Pinera said.
He said the disaster heavily damaged many of the country's roads, airports and ports.

Saturday's quake also triggered a tsunami that killed at least four people on Chile's Juan Fernandez islands and caused serious damage to the port town of Talcahuano.


More than 60 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater were reported in the hours after the quake.


The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck 92km northeast of Concepcion at a depth of 63km at 3:34am local time (06:43 GMT) on Saturday.

Aid organisations and government officials in Britain and the US have offered to help Chileans in their efforts to rebuild their country.

Barack Obama, the US president, has said the US has resources in position to deploy should the Chilean government ask for help following the earthquake.

Chile quake 'affects two million'

Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/02/20102285432775220.html

Two million people have been affected by the massive earthquake that struck central Chile, Michelle Bachelet, the outgoing president, has said.

One of the world's most powerful earthquakes in a century rocked the nation early on Saturday, killing more than 300 people as it toppled buildings and triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean.

Chileans fearful of aftershocks camped outside on Sunday in towns shattered by the earthquake, as officials struggled to grasp the scale of the damage to the country's transport, energy and housing infrastructure.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquaketriggered a tsunami that killed at least four people on Chile's Juan Fernandez islands and caused serious damage to the port town of Talcahuano.

In a national address on television, Bachelet said 1.5 million people had been affected by the earthquake, while officials in her administration said 500,000 homes were severely damaged.

Residents Ttrapped

Meanwhile, at least 100 people were feared trapped inside the rubble of a collapsed building in Concepcion more than 34 hours after the quake struck.

Firefighters and rescue workers used drills and shovels on Sunday to search for survivors amidst the rubble.

"Time is of the essence to save the people inside this building," Jacqueline van Rysselberghe, the city's mayor, said.

Van Rysselberghe also criticised the national government for what she said was a slow response to the quake.

"It's a shame that rescue teams could not come to Concepcion yesterday."

Hours after the earthquake, smaller-than-expected tsunami waves hit Hawaii and the US Pacific Coast. There were no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami warning for Hawaii was soon lifted.

Kevin McCue, president of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society, told Al Jazeera: "I'm surprised it produced such a small tsunami as a result. But everyone is still on alert right across the Pacific."

Japan issued a warning on Sunday for a tsunami of 10ft or higher and advised coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground.

Daunting Task

Bachelet has declared a "state of catastrophe",saying that officials were still trying to evaluate the "enormous quantity of damage."

The earthquake has raised a daunting first challenge for Sebastian Pinera, who was elected Chile's president in January and who takes office in two weeks.

"Unfortunately, Chile is a country of catastrophes," Pinera said.

He said the disaster heavily damaged many of the country's roads, airports and ports.

At least 214 people were killed and 15 were missing as of Saturday evening.

While that remained the official estimate, Carmen Fernandez, head of the National Emergency Agency, said later: "We think the real figure tops 300. And we believe this will continue to grow."

Local radio reported 100 people were missing in a collapsed building in Concepcion, one of Chile's largest cities with around 670,000 inhabitants.

Aid organisations and government officials in Britain and the US have offered to help Chileans in their efforts to rebuild their country.

Barack Obama, the US president, has said the US has resources in position to deploy should the Chilean government ask for help following the earthquake.

Buildings Ablaze

Firefighters rushed to put out fires, and most of the buildings in the city centre were destroyed.

Chilean TV showed images of collapsed homes in Concepcion, a large building completely engulfed in flames and injured people lying in the streets or on stretchers.

Some residents looted pharmacies and a collapsed grain silo, hauling off bags of wheat, television images showed.

More than 200 inmates in a prison near Concepcion escaped when walls crumbled, Terra Networks reported.

It also reported that phone lines were either down or busy, making confirmation of damage difficult elsewhere, especially further south towards the epicentre.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck 92km northeast of Concepcion at a depth of 63km at 3:34am local time (06:43 GMT) on Saturday.

The earthquake shook buildings in Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital, and was felt as far away as Sao Paulo in Brazil - 1,800 miles to the east.

Dozens of Aftershocks

In the capital of Santiago, 320km northeast of the epicentre, three hospitals collapsed while, south of the city, dozen more suffered significant damage, a health official said.

More than 60 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater were reported in the hours after the quake.

An earthquake also hit northern Argentina, causing a wall to collapse in Salta, killing an eight-year-old boy and injuring two of his friends, police said.

The USGS said the magnitude-6.3 temblor was a separate, "triggered earthquake" caused by ground waves from the Chilean quake.

In 1960, Chile was hit by the world's biggest earthquake since records dating back to 1900, USGS data shows.

The 9.5 magnitude quake devastated the south-central city of Valdivia, killing 1,655 people and sending a tsunami which battered Easter Island 3,700km off Chile's Pacific seaboard and continued as far as Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines.
-----------------------------------------------
2010 Feb 27

Scores killed in Chile earthquake



Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/02/201022774452701256.html

A massive earthquake has struck Chile, causing the deaths of at least 78 people and triggering tsunami warnings for across the Pacific ocean.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck early on Saturday near Concepcion, Chile's second largest city.

The earthquake struck 92km northeast of Concepcion at a depth of 63km at 3:34am local time (06:43 GMT).

The quake, which lasted for one minute, damaged buildings and caused blackouts as far away as Santiago, 320km northeast of the epicentre.

Michelle Bachelet, the outgoing president, has declared a "state of catastrophe" and warned that more deaths were possible.

"I want to call on all the people of Chile to remain calm ... There have been some aftershocks, but so far our national organisations are still up and running," she said.

Bachelet also announced the partial evacuation of Easter Island, more than 3,000km away, fearing that it could hit by a tsunami.

Tsunami Threat

Two ships carrying aid have been dispatched to Robinson Crusoe Island, part of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, which has already been hit by huge waves triggered by the earthquake.

"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.

Warnings were issued for across the Pacific from Latine AMerica to the Pacific Rim. It specifically warned the US isalnds of Hawaii could be hit by waves of up to 4.8 metres from about 21:00 GMT.

"Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property," the centre said in a bulletin. "All shores are at risk no matter which direction they face."

The US west coast tsunami warning centre said it did not expect a tsunami along the west of the US or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.

A national emergency official told local radio the Chilean government was evaluating damage in and around Concepcion.

Chilean TV showed images of collapsed homes, a large building completely engulfed in flames and injured people lying in the streets or on stretchers.

It reported that the earthquake had destroyed many roads, making it impossible for vehicles to get through. Electricity and water supplies had been cut.

Phone lines were either down or busy, making confirmation of damage difficult elsewhere, especially further south towards the epicentre.

According to a 2002 census, Concepcion is one of the largest cities in Chile with a population of around 670,000.

Major Seismic Event

The earthquake's magnitude was reported at 8.3 and 8.5, then fixed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) at 8.8, the country's largest in 25 years. The quake was felt in Argentina as well.

The US centre also recorded eight aftershocks, the largest measuring 6.9 magnitude at 08:01 GMT.

Kevin McCue, president of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society, told Al Jazeera: "An earthquake of this size occurs one every ten years. This quake would have ruptured the earth's surface for about 800km, which is a very long fault line to produce a tsunami.

"I'm surprised it produced such a small tsunami as a result. But everyone is still on alert right across the Pacific."

Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with the USGS National Earthquake Information Centre, told Al Jazeera an earthquake of this size has the potential to devastate the region.

"This is a significant earthquake with the force to cause significant damage in this region. It is a major seismic event," he said.

In 1960, Chile was hit by the world's biggest earthquake since records dating back to 1900, USGS data shows.

The 9.5 magnitude quake devastated the south-central city of Valdivia, killing 1,655 people and sending a tsunami which battered Easter Island 3,700km off Chile's Pacific seaboard and continued as far as Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines.

Strong quake hits southern Japan

Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/02/20102262195240553.html


A strong earthquake has hit Japan's southern Okinawa island, prompting a tsunami warning for waves of up to two metres in some areas to be issued, but later withdrawn.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency said that the 6.9 quake occurred off the coast of the island of Okinawa at a depth of 10km at 5.31am on Saturday (2031 GMT on Friday).

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake had a 7.3 magnitude.

Noritomi Kikuzato, an Okinawa prefectural police official, said there were no reports of injuries or major damage.

Seiboku Sueyoshi, an official in Naha city, southern Okinawa, said: "First there was a strong vertical shake, then sideways. The strong quake lasted for about 10 seconds."

Small waves of around 10cms were recorded in southern areas of Okinawa island, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said, adding that additional minor surges of the sea level may still be seen near the island.

'Big one' feared

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas.

The country accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

Geologists warn that Japan is overdue for a massive and potentially devastating earthquake.

They point to an 87 per cent chance that the "Big One" - a magnitude-eight earthquake or worse - will strike the greater Tokyo region, home to around 35 million people, within the next 30 years.

The last time a massive earthquake struck Tokyo was in 1923, when the Great Kanto Earthquake claimed more than 140,000 lives, many of them in fires.

In October 2004, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck the Niigata region in northern Japan, killing 65 people and injuring more than 3,000.

That was the deadliest quake since a magnitude 7.3 tremor hit the city of Kobe in 1995, killing more than 6,400.

Deadly quake rocks Chile (8.8 magnitude)

Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/02/201022774452701256.html


A massive magnitude earthquake has struck Chile, producing powerful aftershocks and causing the deaths of at least 52 people.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck early on Saturday near the city of Concepcion in Chile, triggering a tsunami.

The earthquake struck 92km northeast of Concepcion at a depth of 63km at 3:34am local time (06:43 GMT) and 320km southwest of Santiago.

The quake, which lasted for one minute, shook buildings and caused blackouts in as far away as parts of the capital, Santiago.

Its magnitude was reported at 8.3 and 8.5, then fixed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) at 8.8, the country's largest in 25 years. The quake was felt in Argentina as well.

The US centre also recorded eight aftershocks, the largest measuring 6.9 magnitude at 08:01 GMT.

Panic-stricken people swarmed the streets of Santiago, more than 320km north of the epicentre, a Reuters witness reported.


'State of catastrophe'


Michelle Bachelet, the outgoing president, has declared a "state of catastrophe" and warned that more deaths were possible.
"I want to call on all the people of Chile to remain calm ... There have been some aftershocks, but so far our national organisations are still up and running," she said.

A tsunami warning was issued for Chile and Peru by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, and a less-urgent tsunami watch was issued for Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama and Costa Rica.

"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the centre said.


The US west coast tsunami warning centre said it did not expect a tsunami along the west of the US or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.


A national emergency official told local radio the Chilean government was evaluating damage in and around Concepcion.

Phone lines were either down or busy, making confirmation of damage difficult elsewhere, especially further south towards the epicentre.


According to a 2002 census, Concepcion is one of the largest cities in Chile with a population of around 670,000.


Tsunami threat


Kevin McCue, president of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society, told Al Jazeera: "An earthquake of this size occurs one every ten years. This quake would have ruptured the earth's surface for about 800km, which is a very long fault line to produce a tsunami.

"I'm surprised it produced such a small tsunami as a result. But everyone is still on alert right across the Pacific."
Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with the USGS National Earthquake Information Centre, told Al Jazeera an earthquake of this size has the potential to devastate the region.

"This is a significant earthquake with the force to cause significant damage in this region. It is a major seismic event," he said.

In 1960, Chile was hit by the world's biggest earthquake since records dating back to 1900, USGS data shows.

The 9.5 magnitude quake devastated the south-central city of Valdivia, killing 1,655 people and sending a tsunami which battered Easter Island 3,700km off Chile's Pacific seaboard and continued as far as Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines.

Report: US weapon test aimed at Iran caused Haiti quake

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116834&sectionid=351020104

An unconfirmed report by the Russian Northern Fleets says the Haiti earthquake was caused by a flawed US Navy 'earthquake weapons' test before the weapons could be utilized against Iran.

United States Navy test of one of its 'earthquake weapons' which was to be used against Iran, went 'horribly wrong' and caused the catastrophic quake in the Caribbean, the website of Venezuela's ViVe TV recently reported, citing the Russian report.

After the report was released, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez also made a similar claim, saying that a US drill, carried out in preparation for a deliberate attempt to cause an earthquake in Iran, had led to the deadly incident in Haiti, claiming more than 110,000 lives.

Though Russian Northern Fleets' report was not confirmed by official sources, the comments attracted special attention in some US and Russian media outlets including Fox news and Russia Today.

Russia Today's report said that Moscow has also been accused of possessing and utilizing such weapons.

In 2002, a Georgian Green Party leader claimed that Moscow had instigated an earthquake on Georgian territory, the TV channel said.

According to ViVe, the unconfirmed Russian report says earlier this month the US carried out a similar test in the Pacific Ocean, which also caused another 6.5 magnitude earthquake in an area near the town of Eureka, California.

The California quake resulted in no deaths or serious injury, but left many buildings damaged.

The Venezuelan news website said that the report also introduced the possibility that the US Navy may have had "full knowledge" of the damage that the test could cause.

The report also speculated that knowledge of the possible outcome was why the US military had pre-positioned the deputy commander of US Southern Command, General P. K. Keen, on the island so that he could oversee relief efforts if the need arose.

Based on the alleged report, the ultimate goal of the US weapons tests was to initiate a series of deadly earthquakes in Iran to topple the current Islamic system in the country.

The tests are believed to be part of the United States' High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), which has been associated with many conspiracy theories.

Other than being blamed for earthquakes, HAARP has also been associated with weather anomalies that cause floods, droughts and hurricanes.

Some sources have even linked the 7.8 magnitude quake that shook the Chinese city of Sichuan in May 12, 2008 with the program.

Allegations have been made that since the late 1970's, the US has 'greatly advanced' the state of its earthquake weapons to the point where it is now utilizing devices that employ a Tesla Electromagnetic Pulse, Plasma and Sonic technology, along with 'shockwave bombs.'

Russia has accused the US military of employing such devices in Afghanistan to trigger the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the country back in March, 2002.

In the mid-1990s the Russian State Duma issued a press release on HAARP, which was signed by 90 deputies. The statement said the US was "creating new integral geophysical weapons that may influence the near-Earth medium with high-frequency radio waves."

"The significance of this qualitative leap could be compared to the transition from cold steel to firearms, or from conventional weapons to nuclear weapons.”

“This new type of weapons differ from previous types in that the near-Earth medium becomes at once an object of direct influence and its component,” the statement explained.

In 1997, US Secretary of Defense William Cohen also expressed concern about activities that "can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves."

The US government, however, has chosen to stick to its position that HAARP is merely a program aimed at analyzing the Earth's ionosphere for the purpose of developing communications and surveillance technology.